


Martyrdom

by MissEcchi



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games)
Genre: Blood, Dark Sonic - Freeform, F/M, Gore, Mental Torture, PTSD, Physical Torture, Torture, Very Very Gory, hinted sonamy, no one actually dies towards the end since this is a prequel, no sexual stuff happens, not for those with a faint heart, previously uploaded on fanfiction.net in 2018, rated for violence and blood, sonic forces prequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:55:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22105171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissEcchi/pseuds/MissEcchi
Summary: It has come to the resistance's knowledge that not only was their saviour captured under Eggman's wing, but also tortured for those six months.The blue hedgehog never uttered a word about his confinement so, what actually happened during those painful weeks?What exactly did he go through?Why does he look perfectly fine?
Relationships: Amy Rose/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 35
Kudos: 106





	1. Week One - Inception

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey there! Some of you may recognise this as an old project of mine that I uploaded on FFN back in 2018. At the moment, it's on hiatus but I've managed to produce nine chapters so far. It's a favourite work of mine and I really did enjoy writing it. I'd like to continue it again in the future once my Sonic-Block wears off lmao. 
> 
> If you're not familiar or are new to my writing, welcome and I hope you enjoy the rollercoaster to come! I shall update weekly with the rest of the chapters.
> 
> Till then, enjoy~

_**martyrdom** _

_ˈmɑːtədəm/_

_noun_

_the death or suffering of a martyr._

_"the martyrdom of St Anthony"_

_synonyms:death, suffering, torture, torment, agony, persecution, ordeal, anguish; etc_

* * *

**~(x)~**

.

.

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**"Wakey wakey blue rat!"**

A bucketful of icy water was mercilessly thrown upon the unconscious hedgehog, alerting him in an instant with a yelp. His usually bright eyes that were adorned with apple green irises, a beauty that would rival the most exquisite gem in the world, was bloodshot and constricted to the point where he looked deranged. His breathing was ragged and heavy similarly to a dehydrated wanderer on their last fumes. Last but not least, his sore, bruised up body was constrained by a pair of strange cuffs. The blue glow that the cuffs emitted burned through his wrists and ankles like a slow yet excruciatingly painful flame.

"About time you woke up sleeping beauty- well, more like beast! Hahaha!" The red Zeti who disturbed the prisoner cackled and then without a warning, punched him against the face hard enough to make the hedgehog collapse off the bench he was on and groan against the stone cold floor.

"Ack! Eugh...Zavok...?" He sat up with slight difficulty but refrained himself from showing any weakness, instantly realising that the events that occurred just a while ago wasn't a cruel nightmare. The boy plastered on a sneaky grin as if to tick off his opponent. "It's been a while hasn't it, eh? Thought you were blown to pieces or something like that on the Lost Hex. Did you miss the ass whopping I gave ya back then along with your little party?" His words and facial expressions were one thing but the pain that he was going through was evident in the straining of his voice. The cuffs seem to be cutting off his circulation and his wounds felt like acid was pouring through them.

The Zeti countered back with a demonic smile, his fuchsia irises glowed satanically against the coffee stained retina, sending a cold chill down the boy's spine.

"Look around you Sonic the Hedgehog." The red beast gestured with his hands. "You are captured in a _confined space,_ " Another shiver ran down Sonic's spine, shocking him internally.

_'Don't panic! This is what he wants!'_ Sonic's eyes betrayed his mind though and began to repeatedly dart around every nook and corner. The barred walls seemed to be closing in on them ever so slowly. Closer and closer.

"You cannot move your arms and legs let alone _run_ ," Zavok's voice droned on like a ticking time bomb and he didn't hesitate to let out an eager chuckle as soon as Sonic tried to struggle out of the painful cuffs. He was sat pathetically on the floor, wriggling away like a worm in front of its predator, kicking his arms and legs. Zavok began to step closer and closer.

"Just you wait you pathetic red bowser and I'll kick your-" Sonic was cut off with a harsh groan escaping his throat as Zavok delivered a bone crushing kick against his side, the force caused the cyan teen to be thrown against the barred wall, shocking him for a second till he fell in a heap against the floor like a rag doll. His breathing was laboured and his movements were weakened.

"You're all alone. All your puny friends are as good as _dead_." The minute those words left Zavok's mouth, all Sonic could see was red and pure adrenaline rushed through his veins. Not even a nanosecond passed and Sonic leapt up with incredible speed, miraculously snapping his cuffs off before diving towards the beast with a killer kick in place.

**THWACK!**

The kick never made any contact.

Sonic's limp body crumpled on the bench, a weak moan parting from his lips.

His stomach bruising up at a scary rate.

How...?

**_"I thought I told you to keep him occupied, not harm him."_ **

A deep, dark voice hissed out from a new figure, intimidating the Zeti which was evident in his slight cowering. The figure stepped into the light, revealing itself to be a masked anthropomorphic being. His eyes held a fearful glint and as soon as it made contact with Zavok, the red being froze on the spot. With one swipe of his hand, the masked figure slashed Zavok in half.

What was left behind wasn't a gaping corpse or blood spewing out. In place was a strange, distorted sound and Zavok's body disappeared in a flurry of cyan and magenta. As if he glitched away. The masked figure then proceeded to walk towards the injured hero, his steps echoing louder and louder. The silence couldn't have been anymore deafening.

**"One day in and I have already taken down the so called hero of this wretched planet...how boring."**

He let his foot kick Sonic over slightly so that the body rolled over on its back. The masked figure glared at him with glee. This power that he's been gifted with, this delicious, benevolent power, has taken down the hero in one shot. The very same hero that has beaten Gods!

"N-no...Amy...Ta-Tails...Knu..." Sonic murmured out painfully yet his eyes remained shut. As if he was sleep talking. A sudden idea struck through the masked jackal's head. His fanged smile grew wider and wider like a sinister being under his cover.

_"I'll let you live for now, regardless of the Doctor's opinions. You seem like a very good guinea pig to witness the terror, of..._   
_Infinite."_

.

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.

**~(x)~**

* * *

_(Old Author's Note)_

**A/N:** That's a wrap for this chappie~ This is sort of a prologue so the actual stuff happens in the next update. So far, Sonic isn't aware of what Infinite is fully capable of nor his name and he also isn't aware that Zavok was just a hallucination. Rather than having him cocky throughout, I wanted to shatter his demeanour with the topic of confinement. Nevertheless, I hope you all stay tuned for the updates to come! I'll be posting whenever I have time or feel like it hahah. I prefer to post after getting ten reviews per chapter. So please fave and review~


	2. Week Two - Proximation

**~(x)~**

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Cerulean blue eyelids snapped open in a beat, no longer shielding the vivid green eyes. Sonic jumped up on his feet without hesitation, clutching his chest instinctively and looking around. He seemed to be in a demolished city. Fire was burning everywhere, staining the sky to a bloody shade of crimson. Machines as tall as skyscrapers, plastered with the Eggman logo were maliciously annihilating everything in its path, adorned with fatal lasers.

Though, Sonic wasn't concentrating on that. He was too busy running his eyes down his wrists and ankles. No blue, stinging cuffs were in sight. How _odd_. He could definitely feel a burning sensation on them, like they're silently ghosting through his flesh.  
 _  
'Impossible...it can't have all been a dream. It felt so real. What happened?'_ The cyan teen murmured to himself. His lips were pursed thoughtfully before switching to an angry sneer, his fists tightening and his knuckles whitening under his gloves. There was only one way to get to the bottom of this bullshit and that's to keep going. With that in mind, Sonic burst through the ginormous robots with impeccable speed, drilling through the solid iron mechanics like a bullet through a brain.

There's no use trying to figure out what happened to him a while ago whilst there's a city being decimated by Eggman's cronies and innocent civilians losing their lives in every precious minute. For now he should focus on protecting what he can.

_'I'm no God but dammit I try!'_ With that, Sonic leapt upon a spring, shooting him up sky high, above the machines causing them all to face him with their mono eyes glinting with resentment and readying themselves to shoot at him. Sonic curled up into a ball, spin-dashing midair but all of a sudden, a cyan beam crashed into the hedgehog with a speed that rivals his own. Sonic was broken out of his formation and crashed through at least three of the deconstructed towers and then plummeted straight to the ground with enough force to create a pit. The teen coughed out painfully as the air was knocked out of his minute body and immediately blood spewed out of his mouth.

With enmity, Sonic glared at whatever managed to bring him down only for his mouth to gape as soon as the dust settled down.

"Metal!? So you definitely were there weren't you!" Referring to their last encounter, Sonic got back to his feet, ignoring his body's protests to the pain. "You were there with Zavok, Chaos, Shadow and that new guy, huh?" The robot before him didn't retort nor move. It was as if it's a doll. Always watching you. Staring through your _soul_. It bugged Sonic a little but he didn't let it get to him. "What have you done with my friends?" Sonic lowered his voice dangerously, his eyes lit up like a threatening flame.

His doppelganger's engine only revved up a few times. Usually, Sonic would have taken up the challenge with his iconic smirk but the situation around him has made him lose that demeanour. His world has been attacked by Eggman and his little squad, he had his ass handed to him by the new villain, he was woken up in a cell concluding that he was captured whilst his dear comrades were fighting against the opposition. Now he's woken up here and facing Metal of all rivals?

The cogs in Sonic's head began to turn.

_'This all has to do with that masked prick's power. I need to know just what it is that he does. Is it the ability to make the victim experience a series of nightmares? Hypnosis? Hell, seeing Shadow on Eggman's side made no sense whatsoever! This is so messed up...'_ The boy concluded that whatever was happening now was under the tyrant's influence and the only thing he can do is just roll with it, just like he usually does. He's dealt with Gods in numerous worlds; he can deal with a loser like the masked brat.

With a yell, Sonic sped towards the robot, his power sneakers pelted through the ground, leaving a trail of dust and his fist formed a killer punch. As soon as he delivered the blow, Metal disappeared in a flash of cyan and magenta and Sonic stumbled upon the floor unexpectedly. Cursing at whatever dumb rock or debris that he possibly tripped on, Sonic lifted himself off from the floor so that he was sitting up. Looking down was a mistake.

"Ha...ha?" Sonic's smile contradicted the storm he was feeling, immensely. Hell, the smile wasn't even appropriate. "No no, heh, this is some sort of joke right?" The silence said otherwise.

His legs were gone.

In place were two tattered stubs attached to his torso, deep red blood pouring out of them and shards of bones were embedded into the broken flesh. His eyes, his _oh so_ betraying eyes, glanced at the trail of blood and followed them till he saw the prize opposite him.

His legs.

They were sprawled away from each other like a torn barbie limb. The shoes were still there and the joint was bleeding just as much as him. The pain suddenly shot through his body and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Ha...ha..." Sonic's body shook rapidly, his hands shockingly went to the back of his head as more murmured laughter escaped his throat. His eyes never left his decaying legs before him and the gleam of blood that stuck to Metal's claws as he victoriously put a foot upon the fleshy mass. Metal lifted his head up slightly and his vivid eyes shone with satisfaction, as if he was mocking the pathetically handicapped hedgehog before him.

No more gestures were exchanged as Sonic shot his head upwards and let out the most bloodcurdling scream that humanity has ever heard. Tears exploded out of his eyes like waterworks and his fingernails scraped down his quills, piercing through the gloves like paper. He couldn't stop screaming. His whole world was instantly shattered from one movement of his metallic copy.

That's right, that's so fucking right. A copycat has obliterated his world.

Running was everything to Sonic. His speed was everything to him. His speed meant freedom. His legs meant speed. His legs are now gone. So is his speed and thus so was his freedom. _He was now dead weight._

**"I WILL MAKE YOU PAY YOU BASTARD!"**

The frenzied boy may have had the tone of the most deadliest monster and the most intimidating assassin but alas, it was nothing but an empty threat. _He's now nothing._

Metal casually crossed his arms and shook his head sarcastically, mimicking a 'tsk' that his fleshed counterpart would often throw to his enemy. The machine strode towards Sonic, his red eyes glistened with more bloodshed to come. Meanwhile, the maniacal look that Sonic wore grew softer and softer as his brain came to the terms that he indeed, was going to die.

_"Good luck with that you inferior carbon nuisance."_

With that said and done, Metal swiped his hand down to Sonic's neck. His claws were poised perfectly for a lethal shot and then-

**_"Boo."_ **

"Nooooo!" Sonic sat up with an exclaim, gasping for air like a fish out of water. His eyes were wide indicating how petrified he was and by impulse, they shot down to his legs.

Relief couldn't have been anymore sweet.

His legs, oh his great, strong blue legs! They were still there! Attached to him- not amputated! Although his ankles and wrists were cuffed by the familiar blue bindings, Sonic didn't give a flying fuck. He leaned back on the stone, brick wall with a sigh and his legs dangled off the bench he was confined on.

_"Ho ho ho..."_ Sonic felt his heart stop one more time at the dreaded sound before him. The lack of light in his surroundings showed that there were two figures on the other side of the electrical bars, observing him like he's some sort of lab rat. One figure was small, an anthro just like him with canine ears poised upwards. He didn't know who that was. The other was an iconic yet disgusting rounded silhouette, much _much_ taller than his companion and his glasses held a sinister shine.

"Eggman..." Sonic managed to growl out with all his energy, his chest still inflating and deflating at an abnormal pace and his fur stood on its end. This was the first time that the boy ever showed some sign of fear in front of the doctor and the human relished every second of it. Eggman stepped forward slightly so that Sonic was able to see his expressions.

"Well, well! Good evening to you too you little pincushion, had a great nap?" The shit-eating grin that the doctor wore was equivalent to fingernails scraping against a blackboard. It pissed Sonic off to no end. He was tempted to demand an answer from the doctor of what he put him through but the thoughts of his friends suddenly flashed in his mind. How long has he been away from them?

"How long has it been?" Eggman's moustache dropped with dissatisfaction at Sonic's alarmingly quiet but calm tone. The doctor didn't give up though and his intelligent brain was finding a way to rile the boy up.  
"Since what?"  
"Since...Since I got here," The scientist then let out another crooked smile and got closer to the bars. They may have been a couple of feet away but Sonic was still able to feel Eggman's breath as he spoke.

"Since you've been beaten up, battered and defeated by my newest minion? Leaving behind the mutant fox, your girlfriend and that gullible echidna behind to fend for themselves against my army? Since my empire began to bloom?" Every sentence was like a bullet against Sonic's heart and he didn't have enough strength to keep his ears from drooping.

"Ho ho ho Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog! You have been defeated! Oh-ho ho! The day has finally come!" Eggman rejoiced for a moment, his body turned away from Sonic before turning back around to face the younger one again. "Two weeks."

Sonic's head shot back up with disbelief. Two weeks!? Whenever he gets himself into a pickle, his friends are always a step away to save him or help him out! Where are they now?

"Cubot! Orbot! What are the health stats of this buffoon?" Eggman ordered; Sonic realised that they were by the doctor's side this whole time. Despite being robots, they held a strong fear against the masked anthro by them and their cowering before Eggman seemed stronger than ever.

_'Could they also be disagreeing with what Eggman has cooked up this time? If so, maybe I can use it to my advantage...'_ Sonic mused to himself. If his friends haven't come yet then that means that Eggman has them occupied. For now, he can't rely on them and must find a way out.

"His ribs seems to be slightly fractured, his lungs are bruised and he has suffered from heavy concussions, boss. Moreover, your special bindings are singeing into his flesh and will leave scars." Orbot recited perfectly. Eggman nodded approvingly and then asked for the mental report. "Right now, the project has worked brilliantly on his mind, evident in his gestures and expressions, boss. If you keep this up, you'll have succeeded."

_'Project? What? Could that be...the nightmare I just had?'_ Sonic stared at his legs as unease filled his stomach and bile began to build up in his throat. Optimism has flown out of the window long ago. It used to be just Eggman terrorising people with his latest creations and Sonic and his team destroying them with ease and the cycle would repeat again. Heck Sonic considered him more of a playful nemesis as the years went by. Why has it all changed in a heartbeat?

"Very good, very very good indeed. Ho ho ho...fix him up Orbot, Cubot, and then report to me once you've done." Eggman began to walk away along with his new minion. Sonic furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Wait, wait!" The words slipped out of his mouth before his mind could process them. Both villains paused mid-step and turned around to face the azure hedgehog. "Why are you telling them to fix my wounds? Aren't you going to kill me?" Sonic had a point. Eggman has been waiting to pummel him ever since they first encountered. This was such a good opportunity to finish Sonic so why isn't he taking it?

"Sonic, your death will be soon, don't you worry." His expression then darkened. "But why skip out the fun of breaking you over and over again till you're begging for your death? I think that'd be rewarding for me considering the amount of humiliating defeats I've faced, no?" For a second there, Eggman's tone clawed through Sonic's beating heart, inflicting every ounce of frightening power to it. Not wanting to show weakness any longer, Sonic gnashed his teeth down and then yelled:

**"You can do whatever you want to me but I will guarantee that I will never, ever, yield to scum like you! You hear that egghead? Same for you ya little prick! Obeying the fat shit like some sort of dog! I bet you are a dog! I wouldn't be surprised! Mark my words Eggman! You won't win! Mark it!"**

Soon the villains were out of earshot, now deaf to Sonic's threats. Infinite hummed surprisingly at Sonic's strong willpower but Eggman was left with a grim look upon his old, saggy face.

"Don't tell me you're buying his words, doctor?" Infinite growled out, placing his mask down as they made it to the computer room. "You have him at your mercy, there's no need to fear the weak."

"My boy, have you jackals ever seen a hedgehog's rage?" Eggman finally spoke. The young villain thought for a second and then shook his head slowly.

"I've...fought one before though..." Infinite spoke loosely, his fangs pierced his bottom lip as the memories of Shadow's words and beatings drilled into his sight.  
"But not at full power, correct?" The jackal narrowed his eyes at Eggman but the doctor carried on regardless. "What both Sonic and Shadow have that keeps them strong are their wills. In order to have Sonic where I want, I need that pestering will of his to crumble into dust. Thanks to your idea of having a little _fun_ with him, I will achieve that. I want his mind to self-destruct. I want him to suffer with everything I've got. I don't want him dying with hope. I want to see him at his weakest. Do you understand?"

"So then, why have you limited the procedures to once a week? These breaks we give him will only encourage his mind to plough through my illusions with ease!" Infinite thumped his fist against the desk, clearly impatient with his boss. Eggman simply stared at the computer screen, watching as the percentage of how much of the world he's conquered, rise. "I wasted all my time testing my powers on those weak prisoners, finding a way to control my illusions so that the afflictions that the victim receives doesn't actually affect them in reality! Do you realise how hard it was? Don't tell me this was all for nought..."

"Infinite, taking over the world is my top priority. Once I get the hedgehog to have a glimpse of it as well as the fresh corpses of his precious friends, then you, and only then! You may do as you please..." The jackal let out a wry grin at Eggman's words, not paying any mind to the human walking away.

_'Kill him in an instant? A couple of years ago, instantly killing Sonic would have been a dream too good to be true. Now, I feel like just killing him isn't good enough...'_

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**~(x)~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: All comments and reactions are hugely appreciated :) Next chapter shall be uploaded next week! If you're impatient, all chapters are already uploaded on FFN.


	3. Week Three - Tertiary

**~(x)~**

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The busy, energetic chattering and sounds of congestion rippled through the atmosphere, nonchalantly as possible to a pair of ears. The hedgehog that it belonged to was walking amongst the crowd in a daze. Inside, his heart was frantically clobbering his chest to the point where the boy swore he'll end up with bruises. Regardless, he kept on walking, blending in with the congregation.  
 _  
'Run...I wanna run...'_ Sonic mused to himself. He didn't seem to be heading to a specific place in particular. In fact, everyone else around him seems to be walking aimlessly too. A couple of people would come in and out of the shops or restaurants, only to be empty-handed. The cyan teen wasn't dumb nor in a zombie like state; his mind has registered the irregularity. Heck his heartbeat was starting to deafen him. His body just wouldn't cooperate with his flight or fight response. It's as if he was trapped in a body and witnessing the host's point of view.

The haziness of his vision began to clear as Sonic started to focus on the faces of the people around him. His friends are nowhere near that's for sure...but something about these people spark a familiarity. He just couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. He suddenly had control of his body and halted in his steps.

It wasn't just him.

The people halted too.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the slowest that Sonic the Hedgehog has ever witnessed...

The people turned their heads.

Facing him.

They were all human with poker faces.

A quiver ran down Sonic's body and his heart was practically a siren, alerting him to get the hell out of here now before something happens. As soon as possible! He lost control of his body again and was planted firmly upon the ground.

_'What the fuck?'_ The most Sonic could do was blink and swallow down his spit. The entire city went dead quiet save for the sound of the hedgehog's rapid breathing. The tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Sonic wanted someone to say something, scream, anything! If Chaos had some sort of mercy on him then this is all just some weird dream-

Wait a minute.

A dream?

An overwhelming sense of déjà-vu rushed through the teen's body like a gulp of fresh air and it was then that realisation hit him!

_'This has to be that new guy's doing...right now I'm dreaming. Right? There's no other explanation! It doesn't matter what he throws at me or what he does, I'll be able to handle it!'_ Sonic felt rather than did, grit his teeth in finality. The urge to smirk was too strong and like butter, his mouth stretched to one upon his muzzle, breaking him free of his frozen spell. His legs instinctively bent down ever so slightly and his hands bundled themselves into fists, daring anyone to try and stop him from escaping.

"Haha...look at this so called _hero_ my darling," Nearby, a woman, beautiful and probably in her thirties, clutched a child next to her who was most likely her own. A sadistic smile swept upon her face which juxtaposed her soft features like a welt. Sonic whipped his eyes at her in confusion. "He doesn't even remember us! He was planning to abandon us, _again!_ "

_'Again? What nonsense is she spouting about? I've never seen her or that kid or...or...'_ Sonic's defence mechanism in his mind began to falter as his eyes roamed around, trying to identify the people that were staring at him like some sort of spawn of the devil. The same familiarity that he perceived earlier on began to expand to the point where he couldn't breathe. Sonic shook his head, almost slapped himself to try and wake himself up. He had no time for this! He had to get out of Eggman's clutches and help his friends win a war!

"What a shame. This was a great chance for him to redeem himself. Guess his heart isn't as gold as he claims to be. Just another selfish brat!" Sonic shot his head to the vile mouthed senior male on the other side, readying to counter back with a one liner or anything to prove him wrong. His mouth went dry and his heart began to recognise the crinkly features and empty eyes.

"No way..." Sonic finally uttered out for the first time.

He took a step back and desperately looked around, begging internally that whatever he's witnessing is all one big lie. His eyes watered yet his pride forced them to stay put and not dare to drip down his face. He kept shaking his head in denial and guilt swarmed through him like a plague. It suffocated him to the point where he gasped for precious oxygen and dropped to his knees.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble.

Sonic brought his head up yet the people around him fixated their stares on his broken mind.

His pupils constricted in horror and a strangled gasp was all that escaped his throat.

Just behind them, behind the city, behind the tallest building _Station Square_ had to offer, a wall of water rose, getting higher and higher till it blocked out the sunlight. The final piece of the puzzle was clicked in and Sonic swore that his heart stopped.

**"That's right Mr. Sonic, we're the people you failed to save during the Perfect Chaos incident."**

The little boy's sentence was ended with the barricade of water crashing down upon them all. The people were immediately knocked out and killed upon contact. The last thing Sonic saw before he was swept away in the aggressive wave of liquid hell was the way the boy's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his neck being twisted fatally by the force of the water.

The current had Sonic being shoved against buildings at high speeds, plunged under vehicles that got caught up and slide against the rough roads deep down. That's not what broke Sonic's heart though. The amount of people that his knife like quills stabbed as he was rammed into them opened a wound that he tried his damn best to cover.

_The painful screams...the sound of flesh tearing...the sound of bones breaking upon contact...the sight of red being diluted by the treacherous liquid of mother nature. Forever imprinted in his heart._

It was tempting, absolutely tempting to just stop fighting the brutal water and let it kill him in one fell swoop. Sonic's heart almost refused to beat under the amount of deaths that was placed on his shoulders. He could have saved them all. He was the fastest thing alive! If he can't save a little child then what good is he!?

The sound of a predator like roar reverberated above the water, causing Sonic's eyes to snap open in recognition. Though, he couldn't do as much scream; not because he's underwater...

A jelly like tentacle wrapped itself around Sonic's midriff with a vice grip and then brought him out of the water at super speed! By the time he felt the fresh air touch him, Sonic coughed and gagged out every bit of water that was still in his lungs, embracing the sweet oxygen back in. Finally, his eyes opened.

Low and behold, there was the almighty God himself: Perfect Chaos. The mutant being roared once more, tightening its grip around Sonic so painfully that the hedgehog could feel his ribs shatter, no matter how much he tried to escape. Sonic swore violently and looked up to glare at the monster only to feel his blood freeze in place.

He was merely millimetres away from Chaos. When was he brought this close?

Instant fear drove Sonic's heart to the point where he felt like he was having a cardiac arrest! The God seemed to have sensed it because its monstrous mouth transformed into a vile, petrifying sneer.

**"Sayounara..."**

Chaos' voice was like a dozen of demonic whispers ringing in your ears, to the point where you'd think they'd burst. That was the last thing Sonic heard before he was swallowed whole and plunged into the creature's waterlogged body.

What ever breath Sonic was holding was long gone in his scream and the boy found himself trapped. There was no air bubble. There was no escape. He's running out of breath!

Sonic tried his best to swim to the edge of Chaos' body and try to punch a way out but the God had other plans. Chaos trashed around, wriggling underwater like a dangerous sea creature. Consequently, Sonic was tossed like a ball and slammed against the invisible barrier Chaos had inside its supposed stomach.

This was pure torture for Sonic. He was stuck in his most feared element of all time. He just witnessed the people he's failed to save before, die once again. Now what?

_'This is all just a dream...all one massive shitty nightmare-'_ Sonic's thoughts were disturbed as his time ran out. His eyes widened as his throat and lungs began to burn, begging him to take one breath. One teeny tiny breath. With the little energy he had, Sonic shook his head, begging mentally for the chaos emeralds to come to his aid or have any form of miracle!

One last cough.

That did it. Accidentally, Sonic took a deep breath and it was too late. The water came forcing itself down his throat, nose, ears, eyes, everywhere it can get in. His chest burned and burned so achingly as Sonic tried to scream. All that was heard was his garbled voice and the sound of Chaos' victorious screech.

His lungs became heavier and more painful by the second and his throat was clogging up faster than his mind could comprehend. Sonic felt tears burst out of its ducts once again, throwing all pride out of the window. His body wriggled faster at the agony it was enduring.

Soon, Sonic's vision began to fade. His body began to stop moving and then...his eyes closed for the last time...as his body sunk deeper and deeper, never to be found again...

**SMACK!**

A perfectly delivered slap awoke the hedgehog that was screaming in his sleep. Sonic began coughing and hacking out whatever there was in his body. For some reason he couldn't move his arms or legs but he didn't care; he could finally breathe! By the time his mind came to its senses, Sonic's eyes shot open and jumped at the sight of his metallic doppelganger standing over him. He wasn't scared. He was just taken off guard. The weapon had an arm and hand poised, indicating that it was indeed him that delivered the slap.

Sonic looked past him and then settled with a glare at the two intruders on the other side of the bars. As usual, the masked villain was there but instead of Eggman, Chaos was standing idly by him, at his base form.

"My carbon copy has re-shattered his ribs and has some blood clogging his lungs." Metal growled out and then pointed at the blood on the floor. It was then Sonic realised that it wasn't water he spat out when he was roughly woken up. The bitter taste of the blood began to settle on his tongue causing him to suck his teeth inwards in disgust.

"Nice try ya little pet." Sonic hissed out. He rolled his shoulders casually and leaned back in his seat. It took a great deal of pain to move but right now he didn't care. "Don't you know it's a lil' rude to snoop around people's history? Or do you admire me so much to the point where ya gotta know everything about me?" He ended with a sly smirk. Sonic was rewarded with a 'tsk' from the Jackal himself whilst Metal and Chaos remained motionless.

"You could say I was doing my research," To Sonic's surprise, the masked villain zoomed towards him at a jaw-dropping speed. He phased through the electrocuted bars like they were nothing and his arms were folded smugly. The scowl that Sonic sent him gave the villain great pleasure. "Metal! Chaos! Go report to the Doctor now." The two lackeys obeyed without a beat and went away. Even Metal phased through the bars, making Sonic arch a brow questionably. Just more puzzle pieces for him to collect.

"You've disappointed me, hedgehog...I thought you were much stronger than that." Said hedgehog deepened his scowl at the opposition and twisted his lips with hatred.

"So you saw everything?"  
"Indeed. Whenever you're in those... _'Shitty Nightmares'_ , I can see what you're doing, hear what you're saying, know what you're thinking..." Sonic gaped at him. He could sense that vile smirk under the mask a mile away and this fuelled his need to bash the newbie up. He felt so exposed, so naked and he could feel his pride that he spent years, sweat, blood and tears creating, begin to crack.

"So how many people was it that died no thanks to your reckless actions during the Perfect Chaos event?" The Jackal turned around, mockingly humming in thought.

"Shut up..."

"Ah." The villain turned around, his visible eye glinting malevolently. He savoured every bit of hate and anger that the blue hedgehog directed at him with his piercing lime orbs.

"I wouldn't piss me off if I were you..." Sonic admonished once again.

"Five hundred and forty-one _men_..." Infinite began. His grin widened maniacally as Sonic gnashed his teeth like an animal and struggled against the blue bindings.

"Five hundred and twenty-seven _women_..." The bindings were starting to crack and Sonic's quills were riling up.

"Last but not least, seven hundred and ninety-nine _children_."

Not even a nanosecond went past.

The villain was attacked by a razor sharp spin-dash to the face and the mask was instantly turned to smithereens! The villain's eyes widened at the sudden air against his face and without wasting a moment, he punched Sonic out of his destructive structure. The deadly quills annihilated his glove and the jackal almost screamed at the pain of the cuts and gashes he received. The jackal then proceeded to high kick the hedgehog upwards, making Sonic crash against the ceiling and as soon as he began to fall, he was kicked again against his broken ribs and was slammed against the wall.

Sonic's exhaustion took over much to his dismay and unconsciousness started to creep up on him once more. His vision was blurred and all that he could see was the Jackal's figure, the villain covering his face with one hand.

"Pathetic..." The evil one of the two snickered out. "You couldn't save even one person from the thousand that died from that pathetic God, what made you think you can save yourself from me?"

"...I'm a hero...N-Not a God...I'm not perfect...b-but...I know I will...will...kick your ass..." With a small grin Sonic fell victim to the darkness that embraced him and succumbed to slumber.

Infinite, after confirming that Sonic was indeed unconscious and that no one was around, fell onto his knees and gasped. He gripped his chest where his heart was beating erratically and gulped at the sight of his opponent's pathetic state.

_'My mask...that was made out of alloys that are almost as strong as diamond...yet he cut through it with ease! If I have been a second slower...'_ Infinite subconsciously touched his face with his good arm, stroking the scar that Shadow left. Shadow merely took him out the way, Sonic looked like he was ready to maul his face off.

"So this is a hedgehog's anger...?" The worried expression was instantly replaced with a look of glee. Infinite got up immediately and his sneer grew bigger and bigger.

"How... _fun_..."

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 **  
~(x)~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section :)


	4. Week Four - Detonation

**~(x)~**

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_'Four weeks...four fucking weeks...'_ Sonic teethed to himself with indignation. The amount of energy building up in his legs were driving him to the point of insanity. He needed to run. The intensity of that need has already made him lose his cool, cocky demeanour too many times for him to count. Maybe the first week or so he cared however, his pride was kicked to the curb in what felt like a millennia ago when he had the ever loving shit beat out of him by Eggman's new buddy. He doesn't even know his name for crying out loud!

_'So far, Fido boy has been plunging me into these weird dreams once per week...it's almost the end of this one and I know he ain't gonna fail to show up. Zavok and Metal are having fun beating me up as soon as I wake like some sort of dummy and then patch me up, only to smack me around again.'_ His eyes then shifted to the watery but mighty God, guarding Sonic's cell with that unreadable look.

Sonic narrowed his eyes at the being, betrayal still stirred within him but it wasn't as strong as the confusion that swarmed his mind. No matter how hard he tried, Sonic couldn't figure out why Chaos and even Shadow were on the opposition! As soon as he figures out a few things, the red beast and metallic demon would punch it out of him and he's back to square one.

"What has Eggman promised you? Hmm? What is this great ol' prize that made you abandon all the chao to the destruction of war? They're the sole reason of your existence, their deaths are why you killed all of Knuckles' ancestors yet you're doing jack-shit when they're being wiped out again?" Sonic's venomous glare could have made even the most mightiest person's blood freeze. The God didn't react much to Sonic's dismay. The hedgehog himself was expecting it though; his past attempts in communicating with Chaos was just as futile as now.

The boy let out an obnoxious sigh and if his wrists weren't bound by the blue handcuffs, which were now ten times more stronger and painful, he would have flipped his middle finger out at the God.

The silence thundered in his ears, forcing Sonic to have nothing but his thoughts to occupy him. Other than busting out of the cursed base and teaching his enemies a lesson or two, the azure teen had more than enough time to reflect on the well-being of his comrades. How's Knuckles holding up against those ginormous mechas? Is Tails' mentality in check? The young kitsune has never been separated from the blue blur's grasps since their first meeting. Amy? She's proven herself to be stronger and capable of many things, most which has made Sonic himself jaw drop. However, she doesn't stand a chance against the new villain. No way. One click of his fingers and she'd be **dead**.  
 _  
'Tsk. If that little edgy puppy harms as much as a quill on her I'll-'_ Sonic stopped dead with his inner monologue as red seeped to his cheeks in an instant. The boy inwardly groaned and dropped his head down in embarrassment. _'I used to be able to run these weird thoughts out, now I can't stop thinking about her!'_ Sonic wasn't stupid and he definitely wasn't oblivious when it came to the sakura girl. Romance wasn't his forte yet his stupid, backstabbing heart just had to _fall_ for Amy Rose. Damn traitorous heart!

**_CREAK!_ **

The unease that was once plastered on Sonic's face was promptly replaced with a jolt at the sound of his cell door opening. His expression then twisted to a snarl at his masked enemy who seems to have brought along a friend.

"Guess the little bitch found himself in a little... _prickle_." Sonic snickered out. Despite the god-forsaken, terrible joke, the look of a killer was written on his face as his eyes bored into the soul of both the jackal and a certain ebony hedgehog. The blue one took delight in the sight of the jackal clenching his fists in irritation. Moreover, the snarky grin Sonic had on concealed the fact that he pinpointed Shadow's appearance to be similar to Chaos'. Motionless and expressionless. Could he be brainwashed? Nevertheless, the dark male remained silent, observing Sonic like some sort of trash.

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you needlemouse. You've barely had a taste of what this _little bitch_ is capable of, don't you agree?" Infinite growled out, his mask distorted his voice enough to hide is frustration. Much to his luck, Sonic knew so much better. That didn't mean he was smarter.

"Ooh~ I see the _canines_ are getting a loose behind there. Today been a lil' _ruff_ for ya?" If he could, Sonic would have crossed his legs, radiating with smugness. The egotistical smile wasn't as effective with him looking beaten, tied up and with heavy bags dangling below his eyes.

"I'm afraid you've knocked a couple of brain cells loose from this deranged cactus. If you let me teach him fear and despair beforehand rather than relying on that red pig and that inferior automation, we wouldn't have our ears grated by his dry humour." Shadow finally spoke. Although his tone was monotonous, the dark hedgehog's thirst to have Sonic's head was evident in between the lines.

"Fear? Despair? Pfft! Oh please Shadz! That seems a little _far fetched_ even for you, don't you agree Puppy? You chopped my legs off, you drowned me, what next? I'm still kickin' and every punch you throw at me will only sweeten up my revenge." It took everything for the jackal not to shudder in response. The memory of the angry hedgehog almost blitzing his face to smithereens last week was still fresh in his mind, therefore making him lose some sleep for the past few days. This pissed him off to no end.

"I wouldn't mind chopping off your legs again," Infinite started, his eyes closed as he spoke. However, as soon as he snapped his eyes open, his visible one piercing Sonic's very being, his tone darkened immensely.

**"And this time, when you wake up, you'll see that your legs have truly been detached, hanging on that bar above your cell, giving you a grim reminder that you shall never, _ever_ run again."**

Sonic didn't get to do as much as squirm because as soon as he took a breath, Shadow was millimetres away from him in blinding speed and knocked him out in one swift kick. Darkness enveloped the blue hedgehog and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

**~(x)~**

Two gold streaks illuminated the void, dark space in a battle that concluded the fate of the earth. The chaos infused hedgehogs were putting all their efforts and power into getting Finalhazard off the falling ARK before they all plummet to the blue planet and destroy life as we know.

"Shadow! Let's destroy this creature now! Everyone's waiting for us back on Earth!" Sonic bellowed out after dodging another one of the mutant lizard's attack. With that said, both hedgehogs unleashed their final blows, consequently ravaging the prototype. Finalhazard let out one final screech, loud enough to burst eardrums till it exploded. Guts and blood scattered across space, staining the ARK and coating the musky grey into a dark crimson.

Before Super Sonic and Shadow could do as much as rejoice, their friends inside the ARK began screaming and it was then that the powerful duo realised that the colony was still falling.

With a mind as fast as his namesake, Sonic found himself and Shadow launching themselves at the ARK, their golden aura acting like a blast and their bodies readying themselves to unleash the last blow.

**"CHAAAAAAAAAAOS CONTROOOOOOOOOOOL!"**

They both hollered out with all their might and the ARK disappeared!

Yet...

Something was off.

A painful ringing within Sonic's ears caused him to glance towards Shadow with apprehension, the latter stared back with a barren face. Suddenly, a hideous smirk peeled itself upon the dark hedgehog's muzzle and Sonic's anxiety grew stronger and stronger.

"Shadow...what have you done?"

"I've enacted _judgement_."

The ARK appeared all of a sudden in a huge flash but this time, it was in the Earth's atmosphere and now falling at a destructive speed. Wide eyed, knuckles white and the violent curses swallowed back down, Sonic shot towards the shuttle faster than the speed of light. His hands outstretched themselves as his exhausted body tried to muster its will to throw one more last chaos control.

Abruptly, the ARK was set on fire and the inhabitants' screaming were deafening upon the poor teen, his heart beating faster and faster and his hands reaching closer and closer...

**CRASH!**

A severe force smacked itself against Sonic, causing said hedgehog to crash onto the blazing ARK and excel the speed of its descent to faster than the speed of sound. It was only falling faster and faster and the screams of everyone around it were getting louder and louder. Sonic clawed at the iron grip that the manic hedgehog above him had on his throat, both of their bodies were engulfed in the scorching flames and the whistling in their ears rang so painfully loud that blood began spurting out of them.

"SHADOW! STOP THIS! WHAT ABOUT MARIA'S PROMISE!?" Sonic pleaded out with fury. His fur flickered back and forth from gold to blue, indicating that he's losing power.

"I'M SAVING THE PEOPLE! BY KILLING ALL OF THEIR PATHETIC LIVES AND ENDING THEIR SUFFERING!" Shadow's grip intensified as he cackled, his fur also switching back and forth to his original shade. Both of them were losing power. The ARK was merely minutes away from plummeting onto the Earth's surface. The blast will be strong enough to wipe out an entire half of the Earth and the people in the shuttle will die upon impact. _And there's nothing Sonic can do._

The flames now charred the super hedgehogs even further, excruciating pain ran through their bodies, evident in their screams. Sonic cried out in failure, weeping tears for the lives he won't be able to save, for the deaths that will consume his cherished friends and for trusting the terrorist in helping him take out what he thought was the common enemy.

The fire burnt through his fur, blistering his skin underneath till it burst and crisped. Sonic's voice gave out; his mind couldn't comprehend whether his throat died because he screamed too much or if the fire has engulfed it already. What he did know was all that he could see was red and that it was now impossible to breathe. The flames were clawing inside his body and he could feel his blood and organs boil like steaming hot oil has been poured all over him. Is this what Hell feels like?

**"You've lived, yes. But what have you learnt?"**

Those last haunting words of Shadow The Hedgehog were the final things that Sonic heard. Time slowed down as the ARK made contact with the surface of the planet. Buildings, debris, bodies, everything was swallowed in a wall of fire till Sonic took his last breath...

**~(x)~**

A hospital bed was rushed out of Sonic's cell, the former was thrown upon it. His body twitched violently like he was having a fit and a mask was on his face to help oxygen get into his body. The medical androids, built by Eggman in order to tend to Sonic, finally dashed into the emergency room and begun their treatment as soon as possible.

Multiple shots were given, with high hopes to calm down the hedgehog but to no avail. It was as if Sonic was immune to them and his fit got only worse. Finally, a larger, thicker injection was stabbed below his muzzle, knocking him out instantly and then calming his heart down. The machine that he was hooked up on slowed down its vigorous beeping, highlighting that he was no longer in the danger zone. As soon as the androids confirmed that he was now intact, they began to work on Sonic's wounds.

The room had a large one way window. On one side was Sonic, on the other was Eggman, Infinite and Shadow. The rotund doctor smoothed out his mustache, his high IQ processing intelligent thoughts and more master plans. He then turned to Infinite with a wry smirk.  
"You've gotten stronger my boy," The paternal tone that the doctor used almost made bile build up in Infinite's throat. It was absolutely atrocious.

"I didn't intend for this..." The jackal opened and closed his hands, staring at them in wonder. He only aimed for Sonic to wake up with a couple of burns and soot- not get a cardiac arrest. The ebony hedgehog by them said nothing. Infinite stared at him with indescribable emotions. He knew Sonic and Shadow were strong, but the power he witnessed in the vision he gave Sonic? That was _Godly_. It made the jackal realise how easily Shadow could have taken his life during their first encounter. It made sense on how his whole squad was taken out by him. The hedgehog himself was capable of destroying a planet! Maybe more! As for that power...

"How did they turn...gold?" Infinite inquired. Usually the scientist would answer his questions with glee but the boy didn't expect the atmosphere to tense up all of a sudden.

"That is none of your concern," Eggman began. "You shouldn't worry about them. The phantom ruby that you hold withstands a greater power with much more potential compared to those useless gems." The doctor walked away, ending the conversation. Infinite narrowed his eyes as the figure got smaller and smaller and then focused back on Sonic.

"I hope you're right doctor..." His tail twitched with irritation and his hand rested on the glass. His opponent was now in a deep sleep and for the first time, was left to rest on an actual bed rather than being thrown back in his cage. "I'm nowhere near as smart as you doc, but even I know that if given the chance, you should destroy the enemy's trump card."

With a click of his finger, Shadow behind him glitched and then dissipated into thin air. Just another illusion to break Sonic's mind and to break the world...

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**~(x)~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to comment down your thoughts and tell me what you think~


	5. Week Five - Laceration

**~(x)~**

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Alarms blared through the base as a familiar blue streak ricocheted off the cold, metallic walls, boosting through dangerous drones at a signature speed. The blur dodged the eggbots and didn't waste time in spin-dashing the ones that engaged to fight him to smithereens, leaving a trail of explosions and robotic carcasses. As Sonic uncurled, he swiftly looked at the security camera behind him and with a sadistic grin, flipped a certain gesture towards it, his mind knowing very well that his kidnapper was throwing a tantrum or two at his great escape. With that done, he cracked his sore knuckles and then sped off, in pursuit for the doctor for a nice _heart to heart_...

~(x)~

"No! No! **NO!** " The round shaped doctor slammed his fists against the desk as his eyes burned at the sight of his beloved base and creations turning into scrap by his nemesis. However, that's not what got the blood rushing to his head; the look that Sonic gave at the camera was equivalent to a bullet to the brain. This is no longer fun and games. Sonic is out for blood, _his_ blood most importantly. The doctor dug his nails into the metal equipment, trying his upmost best to suppress the cold fear ravaging his body like dry sand soaking up precious water. Despite that, he whipped his head up and then glared at his minions who were dawdling around, acting as if their funeral wasn't a sonic second away- _literally_.

"You two were meant to be watching him!" The human roared, causing both Cubot and Orbot to scramble to their feet and salute comically. "How did he escape!? Never mind that- round up the toughest Eggbots I got! We cannot let Sonic get into this sector nor escape the facility. Do you understand!?" The pathetic robots chorused a "yes sir!" and then darted towards the computers, releasing robots and mechas with high hopes to stall the angry speed demon.

"As for you...Infinite, I need you to-" Eggman was suddenly cut off by the sound of another alarm, this time, it was an indication that Sonic has breached into the sector and was minutes away from his destination. The doctor yelled out unintelligible words and then sprinted towards the computers with a speed that was impossible for someone with such an obese body. He pushed the robots away and hurriedly typed up codes and commands to ensure the safety of both him and his rooms full of important devices. Especially the lair full of incubators that enhanced Infinite to the weapon he is now.

Whilst he was at it, Infinite glanced at the security cameras' screens with boredom. A good chunk of them involved streaks of blue smashing through the useless robots like a scalding knife through butter. A sudden thought appeared in the jackal's head as he peered at the screen that was watching Sonic's cell. He may not be a computer nerd but Infinite knew some basic keys and shortcuts when it came to technology so he used that to his advantage, rewinding the time to see how Sonic escaped in the first place. Once he saw the hedgehog on the bench, he paused, put the headphones on and then played.

_The blue hedgehog was seated on the bench, glaring at the ceiling. To an outsider, it may have seemed that he was cursing at the higher deities that he must have believed in. To a friend, he was clearly calculating something in his head. Sonic may be a blue, dorky, cocky hedgehog but unknown to most, he is very clever and quick to think on the spot._

Infinite frowned at this but kept on watching. Just what exactly is the blue hedgehog looking at? Suddenly his mind clicked and his eyes shot to the pipe on the ceiling of the cell in the screen.

_Sonic kept on glaring, stretching his fingers, as if he's exercising his hands. He put his hand in a prayer motion, his thumb accidently touching his glowing cuffs. The teen's eyes widened and then darted at his cuffs, letting his thumb feel them again. A wry grin was cracked on his muzzle as he snickered out loud._

_"This material is an insulator...heheh..." His brooding demeanour was brightened. "Flexible, really strong, maybe if I wasn't so beat up I would have gotten out of these easy as pie."_

The jackal stayed attentive, furrowing his eyebrows.

_Sonic's lime orbs scanned his cuffs, as if looking for something. His eyebrows relaxed as he seemed to have found what he was searching for. There was a metal plate connecting the cuffs._   
_"Finally, a conductor." The boy leapt off the bench and hopped towards the electrocuted bars. After a couple of attempts, he managed to keep his balance and stayed upright without touching the deadly defence mechanism before him. His face came closer to the bars and then his ears drooped at the sight of a robotic guard by his cell._

_"Psst! Yo! Can you get me some water? It feels like Shamar down here." Sonic hissed at the guard. The droid didn't budge. "No water equals dehydration you dumbass!" He yelled. "I'm pretty sure that if you leave me here to rot and die before egghead gets to me, he'll dismantle ya and feed ya to your brothers!" The droid abruptly sprang to life and marched away, heeding to Sonic's request._

Infinite inwardly groaned at how simple minded the rest of Eggman's creations were. Why couldn't he have made them with at least an ounce of intelligence or intimidation? All he needs to do is build another Metal Sonic but without the free will and boom! His life would be ten times more easy. Regardless, the villain kept watching.

_Sonic looked around again before nodding to himself. He brought the cuffs to the bars and then let the blue material touch the surface. Just like his predictions, he didn't get shocked because the material had no source of metal in them. The grin on his muzzle grew. He then parted his hands slightly and angled them so that the metallic plate was facing the surface. Sonic pushed his head as far away as possible and closed his eyes as soon as the metal made contact. All at once, a screeching sound filled the cell as sparks flew from the contact. The metal plate was being electrocuted with so much power that a fire was created! However, because the cuffs weren't conductors, Sonic was left unharmed. As quickly as the metal collided with the bars, it burst apart under the heat and power, freeing Sonic's hands. The impact caused Sonic to fall on the floor but the grin stayed on._

The wild canine sucked his teeth in and bit his bottom lip. This hedgehog was so much smarter than they all gave credit for. Despite having fought him for several years, does Eggman really know what Sonic is like at all? Does he fully understand his strengths?

_The azure teen promptly tore the cuffs on his ankles off and then looked outside the bars, concluding that no one was around. He muttered on about how Eggman was underestimating him before focusing on the pipe on the ceiling. His gaze followed the end of the pipe and then cracked his knuckles._

_"Looks like I need to pull off a Mario now..." No more words were said as he hastily leapt up and punched the edge of the pipe, where it was connecting a wall. Immediately, the pipe crumbled down and the alarms blared. Sonic smirked at the conveniently sized hole that the pipe left and jumped so that he can curl up into a ball and dive inside._

Infinite swore violently and tossed the headphones off, grabbing the attention of both Eggman and his minions.

_'If I never pointed out the pipe in the first place, he never would have come up with such a plan! I shouldn't have let my anger get to me, especially when threatening him with something so vile...'_

"If you're done damaging my expensive equipment, can you be a gentleman...AND GET THAT INSOLENT PEST OUT OF THE WAY?" The red-faced doctor barked out, prompting the anthro to growl at him with a rage that silenced the doctor himself.

"Then next time, make sure his cuffs aren't made out of rubber you idiot!" Infinite slapped his mask on and stormed out of control room, his body aching to make the blue boy suffer. The thrilling thought itself brought out a calmness to the male's mind, like taking a deep breath to cool your anger.

_**"Who's gonna save you now, hedgehog?"** _

~(x)~

The never ending fleets of robots were starting to take a toll on Sonic's frustration. It seems like the closer he gets to Eggman's whereabouts, the more robots appear! He was still fatigued and injured from the previous events and it was evident in how many hits it took to take down the larger and stronger badniks.  
 _'Shit...I'm starting to get outta breath. I need to pull a move to get rid of them all at once before Anubis' long lost brother comes out of his kennel.'_

With a yell, Sonic leapt up, flawlessly dodging all the bullets and lasers and then boosted downwards, performing a stomp. As a result, it created a shock wave and all of Sonic's opponents were destroyed instantly. Sonic stood up and took a deep breath, only to stagger slightly and grip his head. The headache that he's been carrying for the past few weeks has increased by a million times, to the point where he felt like his brain was being fried. All the stress, the burden, the pain. His mind couldn't comprehend the agony he was going through; Sonic knew he's starting to crack.

"That didn't last long did it, kid?" Sonic swiftly turned around, wide eyed, fists tightened and legs poised in a offensive stance. He glowered at the masked man before him who was surrounded by the well known Shadow, Chaos, Zavok and Metal.

"Eggman's up close ain't he, Fido?" Sonic pointed to the door just up ahead with his thumb, his face devoid of any smiles or laughs. Infinite took note of that and smiled demonically under his mask. The hedgehog has cracked. Now it's time to make him _crumble_.

"What of it? You're gonna storm in, beat him up and escape?" The jackal floated up, spreading his arms out. He clenched his fists and the aura on him flared.

"I guess you ain't gonna make it easy for me," Sonic brushed his thumb against his nose and bent his knees before speeding towards his enemies in a blink of an eye. Much to his surprise, Infinite was a tad bit slower and received a heavy punch against his stomach, courtesy on the speed demon. The force was strong enough to knock the air out of him and crash, rolling onto the floor. Sonic didn't stop there.

Taking advantage of his adrenaline rush, Sonic rammed into the four familiar villains like an arrow shooting an object and didn't stop running till he crashed into the nearest wall. The four scoundrels were unconscious upon the brunt, giving Sonic time to charge for the jackal. Infinite read his moves and soared up and then dove back down at Sonic, both of their fists positioned to deliver a finishing blow. As soon as they were mere millimetres away, Infinite quickly changed position and drilled a kick into his opponent's face, striking Sonic out cold in an instant.

Infinite landed on his feet however he wobbled slightly and ended up slipping to his knees. He gawked at his numb legs, forcing his mind to make them move. Why are they dazed? He shook the mask off his face and slipped his hand to his soft hair, knotting them between his fingers in annoyance.

_'I still have that petty fear of him, again, I felt a darker energy coming from his body. Why is it scaring me!? I'm much stronger than him, hell I knocked him out in one shot! So why do I feel this way? I'm the strongest, I'm the most powerful! Fuck's sake what is wrong with me!?'_ The jackal bit his lip so hard in anger that he ended up piercing the delicate skin and blood dribbled out slowly. He didn't pay mind to that. He glowered at the motionless hedgehog before him and snorted.

"My encounter with your dark twin has made me take on the image of Infinite," He finally stood up and strode towards his enemy. "But beating you around can perhaps make me feel _Infinite_." He delivered another kick to the boy, earning a satisfying crack and the body was slammed against the wall once more. This time, blood was pooling from Sonic's head and for a minute, Infinite thought he killed him. The groan that the teen let out proved his assumptions wrong much to his relief. He can't kill him now, no, not yet.

_'I need to make him crumble. I need to see him beg for his life. But most importantly, I want to know what makes him so strong. I want to know how he was able to tap into that golden power that enhances his abilities. I will do what it takes to be Infinite!'_

~(x)~

"Hmm...eughhh..." Sonic finally stirred awake, his eyes squinted in deep pain and his teeth clenched with misery. After a few more seconds of pushing the discomfort to the back of his head, Sonic opened his eyes, only to blink rapidly at the sheer bright lights. For some reason, his body felt heavy.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Sonic was now wide awake and grimacing at his predicament. His neck, waist, ankles and wrists were shackled with bars made out of the strongest metal he's ever come across. He couldn't even budge! It was as if he was super glued to the board that was acting like a makeshift bed.

_**"Good evening, blue rat..."** _

Sonic stopped struggling to spot the well known shaped silhouette make its way to his vision. The boisterous silence accompanied by the heavy footsteps was anything but music to the cyan teen's ears.

"Eggman..." Sonic spat out. His fur bristled like a dry brush and his quills sharpened as soon as the doctor's face was fully visible. His dark glasses glistened with bloodlust and his vile smirk was like a snake slithering around your neck. Cold, slick and venomous.

"What ever you're gonna do, it's not gonna work. And where did your little puppy go? Did I scare him off again?" Sonic forced out his cocky side rather than letting it flow naturally because truth be told; he was scared shitless. He's never seen Eggman make such an expression and now that he's at the criminal's mercy, he's doomed. He's been stuck for over a month and he's yet to hear a word from his beloved friends let alone see them so he knows that being rescued in the nick of time was out of the window.

_'I gotta hand it to Ames for dealing with this fat fuck's fuckery every time he kidnapped her. If she can handle him for days, I should be able to handle him for years. I'm a hero...'_

"I will cut to the chase blue." Eggman strut towards a suspicious looking box and opened the lid. "My little pet is simply just preparing more games to play with you so that's why he currently doesn't have the pleasure to accompany me." He pulled out two carbon rods, clipping them on Sonic's ears, ignoring his sounds of protests. "It's just me and you Sonic." He connected the rods to an electrical device and as Sonic spotted it, his eyes widened with anxiety.

"You were meant to just stay in your cell, that simple. However," The doctor then faced the boy, his exterior darkened with a grim look and Sonic could have swore that he was looking at death straight in those void eyes behind the glasses. "You did a naughty thing, escaping that sweet little haven and destroyed my sweet little robots. That can't go _unpunished_."

With that said, Eggman pulled the lever on the device and in a sonic second, the electricity surged through the rods and then straight to Sonic's body, electrocuting him without a grace.

The scream that bellowed from Sonic's throat could send chills to a passerby, no matter their alliance but it was a different story to Eggman. The deranged doctor cackled with glee as his lifelong enemy was suffering like livestock right before his very eyes. The best part? He can control whether he lives to see another day or not. Sonic howled louder in anguish and the torment that his body went through only amplified the distress he was feeling. It was as if a million volts was shooting through his body and he could feel his bones inside, jerking and rattling. He couldn't think, he couldn't see, he couldn't feel, he couldn't breathe! Eggman pulled the lever down and waited with anticipation for the boy's wails to die down.

The doctor didn't see the bold, heroic, young man with silky, soft fur that was a brilliant ocean blue and vivid green eyes that shone with youth and determination.

He saw a tattered, broken, bruised boy with heavy bags under his eyes, his flawless skin scarred with cuts and bruises and his fur ruffled like a frightened cat. The doctor drank up the image like a very good, aged wine. This was his reward. After many years of humiliation and defeat, God has given him his well deserved bounty!

"Let's do that again!" Eggman gibbered out and pulled the lever once more. This time, he wasn't greeted with the beautiful screaming that was emitted from Sonic earlier on. No.

Sonic glared ferociously through the pain, clenching his fists and biting down on his teeth, swallowing down every scream or whimper that dared to escape his throat. Eggman's frown was apparent on his face and he glanced at the voltage on his device. It was currently on 50mA. If he put it up any higher than that, then Sonic would die instantly, depending on the resistance he shows. Right now, he was showing a high tolerance so putting the voltage up a tad bit higher could work. Though, the result would definitely shatter the resistance and then Sonic's body would be vulnerable to the pure electricity.

Suddenly, his moustache twitched with excitement as another brilliant idea ran through his mind. He turned off the device, allowing Sonic to gasp and catch his breath. In between pants, Sonic eyed the doctor with an assassin look. If he ever does get out of this alive, the doctor's head will definitely be served on a silver platter. There's no way he's going to let him live now.

"Ho ho ho! I'm actually quite happy you withstood that Sonic! Now we can begin _the real deal_." The boy felt himself pale on the spot whilst the doctor rummaged through his box like a child unwrapping a present on their birthday.

_'ShitShitShitShit!'_ Sonic began struggling against the binds again but alas, his strength was now equivalent to a mere baby's. His ears twitched at the grating sound of his enemy's iconic laughter until...

"Gack!" Sonic began coughing violently, his lungs burning inside and his mind whirling at dizzying speeds. As his eyes focused once more, they constricted at the sight of the amount of blood all over his chest. How much did he cough out!?

"There! I found it!" Eggman pulled out a pair of pliers and a scalpel. Sonic felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach and he could have sworn that all the blood in his body emptied out in that moment.

"Wha-what are you doing? This isn't funny Egghead! Let me out!" The teen struggled against his bindings again but froze as Eggman pulled the glove of his left hand _off_. Embarrassment filled his body from head to foot whilst the criminal stroked one of his tanned fingers. "What the fuck!? This is creepy as hell man! Lay off!"

"Calm down you little pincushion. I am aware of the fact that some of you anthros believe that showing your bare hands is very intimate. Be rest assured that I am not interested in that concept nor am I interested in you like _that_." Sonic almost sighed in relief. "But what I will do to that soft, unblemished hand will be very _interesting_."

With one of his meaty hands, Eggman pinned Sonic's exposed fingers so that they couldn't move and brought the scalpel forward. Sonic was only able to let out a pathetic, throaty gasp as the scalpel pierced the side of his little finger, from the tip, trailing all the way down. The doctor performed this act excruciatingly slow, flickering his eyes back and forth from Sonic's hand to his face.

"Shit!" Sonic cursed out loud and then pushed his head upwards, squinting his eyes close at the pain. It was one thing to get a swift cut, it was another to feel in being bestowed on you slower than a snail's pace. It was worse than having salt in your wounds. "Grrr- stop!" Sonic finally pleaded out but the doctor didn't pay him any mind and kept on going till he reached the wrist, digging deeper and deeper. Blood pushed through the wound like blotches of ink staining paper. The vile man stared at the wound in a trance, awing at how the blood smoothly ran down Sonic's hand and how the soft tan skin was inked.

"This is like a form of art!" Eggman giggled out. Sonic stared at him like he's grown two heads. He's finally lost his mind! "Let's do another finger~"  
"You prick! Quit that- AGH!" The hedgehog's quills rose up as his body shook from the torture. This time, the cutting was on the side of his ring finger and the doctor applied the same process like he did to the little finger. However, he took much more time on this, adding a finesse to his strokes and digging deeper and deeper. His ears fell deaf to Sonic's shouts and violent words right until he reached the end of the finger.

"I guess I'll have to improvise now," Eggman chirped out.  
"Will you fucking stop!? Don't make me come out of this prison and hack you to death with that shady tool of yours!" The old doctor raised a brow at the injured boy and then wore the same smirk that Sonic has learned to despise.  
"Are you begging me?" His smirk grew to his coffee stained grin, his revolting breath bounced off Sonic's face and the former almost vomited at the disgusting odour.

"I will never beg. Not now. Not _ever_."

Eggman stood up instantaneously and tossed the scalpel away casually. He tutted and wagged a finger at the fallen hero, mocking his iconic gesture.

"We'll see about that my boy," He picked up the pliers, tossing it a few times in the air and catching it in a singular motion. The look of pure fear was evident on Sonic's face for one tiny second, fuelling the doctor's will to perform the next act.

"Zone one, act three!" He lunged at the gaping hedgehog and grasped the injured hand with bone crushing grip and then picked on the tip of Sonic's thumbnail with the pliers.  
"Stop- stop! Don't you dare- AAaaaaaaaaGH!" Sonic's threat was cut off with a dire shriek as Eggman successfully pulled out the nail, holding the pliers up in the air like the nail is some sort of treasure. Blood burst through the soft skin that was left on Sonic's thumb and his throat cracked, changing to a broken pitch. Tears sprung out of the poor boy's eyes as the overwhelming pain became too much for him to handle. His face showed how vulnerable he was, how young he really was, how hurt he was.

"Yes...YES! I want you to keep crying like that! HO! HO! HO! MORE! MORE! I WANT TO DO IT AGAIN!" Eggman didn't dare to spend one ounce of sympathy for the hedgehog and he repeated the procedure to the rest of Sonic's fingers on his injured hand. Every scream, every howl, every cry, every whimper, gave life to Eggman's manic mentality, painting the metal board in a dark shade of coral.

Sonic endured one full hour of this treatment. One _hour_. This pain was nothing compared to what he felt in the lucid dreams because this was reality. Sonic's mind began to dip lower and lower until finally, his body fell limp as the last nail was pulled out.

"I'll leave the right hand alone because then we'll be able to repeat our fun next time we meet, sound good?" The cheesy smile Eggman gave contrasted the sprayed blood that stained his face. His smile broadened at the calm but sad look Sonic gave him. He may not be speaking or yelling or even glaring, but his eyes spoke a thousand words. That pissed Eggman to no end. How is his will still _there_? "Even if I sew your mouth shut, you give me headaches!" Eggman delivered a hard swing against Sonic's jaw, bruising the pale skin immediately and then it began to swell. He turned his face away from the side and stared straight at his enemy again, his eyes now devoid of life.

"Listen up hedgehog," Eggman slammed his hand next to Sonic's face, causing the latter to jump in fear. Why this is the first time the boy has ever reacted to Eggman like that!

"I have taken over twenty percent of this world so far. That's right. Twenty. My army is only growing bigger and the rate it takes to destroy your beloved cities is getting faster. You have no hope." He circled around the hedgehog a few times before pressing a button. This caused the bed board to lift itself up and tilt forwards so that Sonic was able to see things clearly. Eggman gave a dirty sneer and then pressed another button. This time, a T.V screen was switched on. Eggman stared at the crestfallen hedgehog with pleasure.

**"Somebody help us!"**

**"I don't wanna die!"**

**"Sonic! Where's Sonic? Why didn't he protect mama?!"**

**"We're doomed! Doomed!"**

**"WaaaHHaaa!"**

On the screen was a live broadcast of hundreds upon hundreds of innocent civilians behind bars, packed together, all injured and hurt. The eggbots guarding them would occasionally zap them with laser or punch away any hands that'd reach to far between the bars. People of all species, ages and colours were kept captive and they all have lost hope.

"I currently have ten thousand people held captive in another secret base. If you dare to escape again, I will get my minions to annihilate them all one by one in the most painful way possible. Wouldn't want your puny shoulders carrying more deaths now do we...?"

Tears ran down Sonic's cheeks without defiance and his ears drooped down in melancholy. All those people...all those lives...just what can Sonic do?

_"This isn't happening...no...no...why...?"_

.

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**~(x)~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments and thoughts are thoroughly appreciated~!


	6. Week Six - Tribulation

**~(x)~**

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Soft, feathery blades of grass swayed in a serene motion, brushing against the familiar hedgehog's body as he was slumbering, only to tickle him awake like a soft whisper. Sonic stirred slightly, basking in the warmth of the radiant sun and his ears perked up to the beautiful chimes of giggles and laughter. Delicately, his eyes fluttered open showing that his expression was one of peace and tranquillity. His brilliant, green eyes glanced around his surroundings and identified his cherished friends, relaxing by his side and occupied in a mindless discussion. Probably babbling about how they kicked Eggman's ass again...

_'Wait a minute.'_

_'What the hell am I doing here!?'_ Sonic shot upwards, clutching his chest and then let his head dart to different directions, eyebrows furrowed and cold sweat running down his fur. _'I'm in Green Hill Zone...everything is still pristine and calm. No war, no nothing! This is definitely one of the bastard's manipulating dream bullshit.'_ His eyes kept bounding around until they stopped dead at another pair of eyes.

"Sonic? Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost." The unmasked tenderness from the girl's voice made Sonic almost forget his train of thoughts. _Almost_.

"This isn't real," Was the only thing Sonic hissed out and he jumped to his feet, poised in a fighting position, his eyes narrowed dangerously as if he was face to face with the demonic being Satan himself! Tails and Knuckles only stared at him with confusion etched on their faces whilst Amy held onto her anxious slate. "Come out where ever you are Egghead! I know this ain't real! How about we fight, one on one!? I'll scramble you in no time!"

"I think Eggman must have hit his head a little too hard," Knuckles commented. He wore an amused smirk whilst Sonic carried on shouting at the sky and running around like a maniac. Tails on the other hand wore a worried look and stood up from his lounging position.  
"Sonic! What's wrong-" The kitsune was immediately silenced by a murderous glare Sonic shot at him. He could have swore that his heart stopped by the way his figurative brother's eyes poisoned his entire being. Is this the last thing that the enemies feel as soon as they make eye contact with Sonic? Before being destroyed in a split second? For the first time, he realised how truly intimidating the hedgehog can be.

"You're not Tails. You're fake...you're all fake! This is all just another one of that Jackal's cooked up schemes!" The seriousness in his voice took the others aback and made them all question their existence for a split second before the pinker of the trio took action. With a huff, she stomped towards her beloved friend and grabbed him by the arms so that they were face to face. Bewilderment was smacked upon the older hedgehog's face before it twisted to one of apathy.

 _'This isn't Amy, this isn't Amy, this is just another-'_ His thoughts froze whilst his revered girl smoothed her hands from his shoulders to cup his cheeks in such a fluid fashion that it was like being embraced by a cloud. Ignoring his heart ricocheting within his chest, Sonic mustered the strength to lightly push Amy away but it was futile as she grabbed his face again.  
"What happened?" The way her emerald eyes softened with sympathy made the boy fall in love all over again.  
 _  
'She still feels warm...she still smells sweet...she still has those eyes...Amy...'_ The speed demon quickly shook his thoughts again only for them to keep burning his mind strongly. _'This is too good to be true, after all I've been though, this is the last thing I'd expect.'_ Despite his speculation, Sonic's body betrayed his head and one of his hands reached up to Amy's, cupping her smaller, slender pair that was placed upon his raspberry-hued cheeks.

"Is this really you...Amy?" His heart skipped a beat at her now flushed cheeks and the way her beautiful eyes began to shimmer. The sun gleamed behind her body, illuminating her figure that one could swear that she's an angel sent from the heavens. The way her pastel sakura fur darkened to a shade of fuchsia under the lighting overwhelmed Sonic to the point where he almost forgot how to breathe.

"No shit Sherlock! It's obviously Eggman you're wooing!" Knuckles hollered out and then chuckled heartily at both of the hedgehog's baffled expressions as they jumped out of each others arms. Tails snickered alongside the red brute and the duo walked towards their strange yet adored friends, momentarily forgetting Sonic's abrupt actions beforehand.

Though, Eggman's name rang through Sonic's brain and he swiftly lifted the cuffs of his glove where the freak tortured him, only to draw blank. Sonic tore off his glove immediately, ignoring the blush emitted from Amy and the cocked eyebrows from the boys. He scanned the hand with his eyes, the look of incredulity never leaving his face whilst the palm remained unscathed and unblemished. Still soft and firm to look at. Where are all the scars? Where did the torture marks go? It was now he realised that he was in little to no pain at all. In the other dreams, Sonic always felt the burn of the cuffs against his wrists and ankles but now, he felt nothing. _As if nothing ever happened_.

"I...I..." The cyan teen clenched and unclenched his hand, letting his thumb stroke his smooth nails. A headache brewed in his head as the unanswered questions piled up higher and higher. The memories of his nails being pulled out by a pair of pliers brutally was still fresh in his mind. The sensation of the scalpel digging into his skin clawed his brain. Nothing made sense anymore!

"Tch! Tails, take him to a doctor or something. The guy is seriously starting to worry me and I don't wanna lose my punching bag anytime soon." Knuckles snorted and bit into a piece of fruit that was conveniently lying around. With his mouth full, he continued: "Ifsh he'sa gornna," He _swallowed_ "I'm gonna have to hammer his brain back to normal or something." He received a punch on the arm by Amy and a look of disapproval from Tails but no reaction from Sonic.

The boy was snapped out of his daze as a pair of wispy hands, belonging to Amy, grasped the glove out of his grip and placed it in his bare palms. He then looked up and his face softened at her shy demeanour.  
"It's a little scandalous to take your gloves off in public," Her ears were lowered bashfully, a character trait that rarely seeped out of the usual spunky girl and an aspect that Sonic relishes whenever it's released.  
"Sonic, did you have a bad dream? Or do you have a fever?" The fox then placed the back of his hand against the disoriented Sonic's forehead but then withdrew it with a hiss. "Amy how did you not notice his body temperature? You were literally clutching his face for Chaos' sake! He's burning up."

Amy lightly grimaced under Tails' scolding as he sauntered off towards his plane, probably in search for some medication to help Sonic's fever. Knuckles simply chose to follow Tails, muttering about how he was going to catch another nap or so instead of wasting his time in the hedgehog's presence.

"Amy," Sonic softly uttered out as his unclothed hand tugged on the hem of her dress. The girl turned around whilst Sonic enveloped her hand with his bare one. The sheer warmth that sparked from the contact caused both of their hearts to thump at the speed of sound.

"What is it?" Amy finally replied as they both sank to their knees. His hand never let hers go much to the girl's delight; it was as if Sonic kept it in his grasp, trying to convince himself whether if it's a reality or not.  
"You are real...right?"  
"Heheh, as real as I can be? Sonic, you're acting really odd today." She then cocked her head to the side and lowered her eyelids flirtatiously, bringing our her usual personality. "Fallen for me? I don't blame ya~" She winked but then the confidence was wiped off by the increased pressure on her hand.  
 _  
'I've fallen for you way long ago but there's no way in hell I'm telling you that because that's not important at the moment and I still don't know whether you're real or not.'_ Was what Sonic almost wanted to say but he kept mum and replied with something else instead.

"What happened before I fell asleep? I don't recall anything," He played along and tried his best not to melt at her concerned face.  
"Eggman ambushed us right after we've beaten the Zetis and as usual, we defeated him and his robots. One of his minions did whack you really hard on the head and I think it's caused a bit of a memory problem..." With her free hand, she stroked his head and in that instant, Sonic felt slight pain there.

 _'Odd, I didn't feel as drowsy nor in pain in the beginning...this is definitely not real...'_ The paranoia within Sonic's soul grew larger and larger to the point where he felt suffocated. His ears twitched as a ringing sound echoed within them, causing him discomfort.

"So we just came back from the Lost Hex? And this whole time I've been dreaming?" He tested the waters again and almost swore out loud when Amy nodded. _'No...NO! Fuck! Just a dream my ass! I can feel it coming, something's gonna happen and I'm gonna wake up in that manky cell again!'_ Without as much as a second thought, Sonic leapt to his feet and began speed walking to Tails and Knuckles with Amy securely in his grip as he pulled her along.

"Sonic!? What's going on!? What are you-" The only response Amy got was a tug, causing her to fall onto him and for Sonic to catch her bridal style as he leapt to the wing of the plane. The intent yet morbid look the blue boy carried shut her up instantly, making Amy freeze within his arms which was equivalent to an iron cage.

"Tails! Knuckles! We gotta get out of here, ASAP! Hurry, HURRY!" Sonic ordered and Tails didn't hesitate to scramble to the pilot's seat, starting the engine. With a sceptical look, Knuckles ascended to the very same wing that the hedgehogs were on and raised his eyebrow.  
"Care to explain what's going on?" The crimson echidna growled out. When it came to Sonic's instincts, no one ever argued back or challenged him because he always ends up being right. However, right now, the face and tone that Sonic gave is telling a thousand stories and it internally scared Knuckles to no end.

"Right now we have to get out! This is a trap! You all may not believe me but I don't give a flying fuck!" Amy and Tails flinched as Sonic swore violently. "Tails you have to get us all out before Zavok and his crew kills us all! You lot may be just a dream but that won't stop me from protecting you all!" With that said and done, the tornado shot off into the sky and the trio on the wing hung tight, all three of them gripping the edge of the wing whilst Sonic kept one hand on Amy's back to secure her.

"What do you mean we're just a dream!? You're acting crazier than usual!" Knuckles yelled out, his voice slightly muffled by the wind and his eyes barely open.  
"Long story short! I've been kidnapped by Egghead and his new minion and you guys have been left alone to fight this massive war! Eggman's new friend has the power to make me experience hyper realistic dreams as a form of torture where I either get brutally killed or witness the people I care for die!" Sonic's blazing eyes was filled with integrity, consequently giving the guardian more than enough reasons to believe him and face the front with a smirk.

"Even...Even if we're all not real, we'll keep on fighting by your side!" Amy finally yelled out on behalf of Tails and Knuckles, flashing her friend with a brilliant smile. Sonic returned the gesture and focused on their surroundings with a look of determination.  
"Where ever we are in reality, I hope that we're kicking butt!" Tails whooped and then the plane dived upwards, finally above the clouds, making time almost stand still. "Right now Sonic, what you're doing is a form of fighting back! Instead of watching the scene unfold itself, you've taken control of your dream and doing your best to make everything change; we're all so proud of you! Whatever happens to us, don't lose hope!" Tails beamed at his metaphorical brother which in turn made Sonic look at him with astonishment and then it changed to his iconic smirk. Tails is right, this is _his world_ so he shouldn't _fear the fall!_

_'Thank you all...for everything...Tails, Knuckles...Amy...I-'_

**BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!**

**"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

The colour in Sonic's eyes was void of any pupils as he witnessed half the wing they were on explode to pieces and a familiar, curved wooden stick impale Knuckles through his head, all the way to the back of his torso. The last thing that the remaining trio saw was the blood erupting from the wounds and the vivid violet orbs lose it's colour in a nanosecond. The sound of garbled blood was heard and the echidna's body spasmed till it fell limp and dropped from the broken wing, diving to its doom a million miles below. Traces of blood and clumped flesh was all that was left of their strong comrade...

"No...Knuckles..." Amy managed to whisper out from her dry throat but she couldn't do as much as raise a hand to her fallen friend as Sonic held onto her tighter, not allowing her to move. It took everything for both the ashen faced hedgehogs not to throw up. Sonic mustered all his courage and might to glance at Tails who was shaking like a leaf, tears leaking out of his eyes like a waterfall.

"Tails...TAILS! DON'T LOSE FOCUS!" Sonic bellowed but it was futile. The little boy was completely traumatised and the plane was only diving lower and lower. The smoke of the broken wing grew thicker and thicker and the plane began to tilt. Thinking fast and pushing the sudden death of his friend to the back of his head, Sonic thought of a plan.

"Amy...Ames, listen to me please!" His forehead was against hers, forcing the shivering girl to look into his pleading eyes. "I need you to hold on to the wing. You're a strong girl, I know you can do it. I need to get to the control panel, set the plane to autopilot and switch the emergency engine on so that we don't plummet to the ground. Can you do this for me?" Amy gave a hesitant nod but that was all that Sonic needed. Putting all his trust into her, he let the girl go and thankfully, she kept a strong grip on the broken wing. Sonic hopped to the top of the plane and sped to the control panel, quickly adjusting the machine and configuring the settings. As a result, the plane stopped diving and tilting and a engine appeared underneath the it, firing away to support the lack of the wing.

It wasn't over though. Sonic turned to his brother who seemed to be deprived of life, equivalent to a rag doll. The paranoia within Sonic stirred even further and it was then he knew that this roller coaster ride was nowhere near over.  
"Tails...TAILS! I need you to focus! Please! TAILS!" Sonic's entreaty was to no avail and the golden fox remained mute and empty.  
"Tails! We need you! Please don't give up on us! You said that we mustn't lose hope!" Amy cried out but she was just as unsuccessful as her blue counterpart. A sudden thump was heard on the nose of the plane and both hedgehogs turned their heads to see the intruder.

**_"I didn't think that it'd be this easy..."_ **

A petite, blue zeti was perched on the nose of the plane, his grey elongated moustache whipped against the wind and his venomous indigo irises were like a blemish in his coffee stained sclera. His bamboo stick within his miniature hands was blood stained and dotted with dark bits of flesh. What got the conscious hedgehogs' bones rattling was that the usual swirl on top of the stick was replaced by their fallen friend's disfigured head. Knuckles' eyes was still wide open, his lips still etched into an expression of pain and the wound in his forehead was still dripping with blood like a leaky faucet.

"I, Master Zik, am severely disappointed by the lack of a challenge. I was told that this red monster was the strongest in your group yet I took him out in a second?" The zeti cackled until he noticed the animistic snarl on Sonic's muzzle. His buggy eyes widened as soon as a fatal kick was delivered against his torso, driving him upwards and as he descended, he was squished against the plane's side by a illogically sized piko piko hammer. Amy dropped the hammer in shock as all that was left of the millennium old zeti was something equivalent to a squashed mosquito, blood coating the metallic armour of the vehicle and the flesh disfigured to the point where no one would recognise who the body belonged to.

"I...I...I killed someone..." Amy gasped out, her fingers still kept an iron grip on the wing and the shock smothered her thickly to the point where she was heading to the same direction as Tails.

"Amy! Don't you dare leave me too! Don't you fucking dare!" Despite the threatening tone, tears almost escaped from Sonic's eyes and his voice cracked midway. Again, he shook Tails' shoulder, trying to snap him out of his brain dead like situation. "Tails! We need you to fly us both out of this plane! It's not safe! Tails! Don't make me punch you for Chaos' sake!" Unfortunately, the kitsune's mind couldn't take anymore and his eyes shut, making his unconsciousness clear as day to the gobsmacked hedgehogs.

"Depressing sight...isn't it?" A sudden wimpy, pathetic voice appeared behind Amy and then the person that it belonged to, pinned the girl down to the wing. His thick, indigo hair barely brushed against the back of her delicate pink quills and the girl struggled under his titanium strength.  
"ZOR!" Red was all that Sonic could see and before he could pounce on the cowering zeti, a green tail whipped out and grabbed him by his throat, causing him to fall back and crash his head dangerously close to the blades of the plane's propellers. His eyes lashed to his enemy and a terrifying growl was emitted from his throat as he spotted Zeena smiling smugly before him.

"Get off me you little whore or else I'll rip your head off..." The grass coloured female merely scoffed and brushed off Sonic's threat, only tightening her tail's grip on his throat which in turn made him claw at his neck.

"You're in no position to tell me, to tell _us_ what to do." A sinister grin took place on her voluptuous lips, a pair that could rival Rouge's and then dread filled both hedgehogs from head to foot. Behind Tails was the tallest and the most largest zeti that Sonic fought once.

"Zomzom is hungry!" The gluttonous obese zeti towered over the defenceless fox and without a beat, plucked Tails out of his seat like a grain of rice. It was no secret to what Zomzom was going to do and all that Sonic and Amy could do was scream, beg and plead in defiance. Anything to save their precious boy from the calamity that is soon to be bestowed on him!

"Don't! Please! I'll do anything! He's just a little boy!" Sonic struggled and writhed under Zeena's restraints but this only caused her tail to wrap around his body and a vicious smile to take place on her grotesquely beautiful face.  
"Why should you care? This is just a dream after all," She purred out.  
"Please stop! Why do always make Sonic suffer!?" Amy whimpered but was only slapped by the zeti hovering above her, leaving a red gash against her supple cheeks.

**_CRUNCH!_ **

Sonic and Amy could only stare with terror as they gawked at the rapacious zeti, tear off half of Tails' head in one bite. The wine coloured plasma flared out of the gaping wound, the look of pure horror was plastered on Tails' face as his eyes lost colour, instantly dead from the assault. His powerful brain seeped out of the mangled skull as the blood splattered zeti carried on gnawing Tails apart, as if he was a piece of a juicy, fresh meat. Sonic couldn't move, Sonic couldn't breathe, Sonic couldn't look away until the very last physical part of his brother's body was slurped up and swallowed. The final thing both hedgehogs saw were the iconic pair of tails dangling out of the zeti's mouth and in an instant it was gone.

The scarlet stained zeti grinned with his blood covered teeth like a toddler who's angelically finished their meal for the first time. However, there were more surprises to come. Zomzom began to expand like a balloon, growing bigger and bigger. Sonic couldn't describe what he was feeling nor was he able to pinpoint the millions of emotions running through his mind. With a sudden clarity, his mind clicked on one factor. _'Amy's still alive...I can save her...I CAN!'_

With herculean strength, Sonic broke out of Zeena's bounds with sheer willpower and dived for Amy, snatching her away from Zor's clutches and holding her tight as they cleaved downwards to the earth. An ear-bursting boom was heard from above, indicating that the inflated Zeti has exploded, bringing down the plane and his two other comrades with him. As the hedgehogs fell, they were showered with blood and debris, causing Amy to weep strongly against Sonic's muzzle as he held her tight.

"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..." The teen chanted like a mantra, hating himself for not being able to save his friends. Hating himself for not even being able to save both him and Amy from the fatal fall. He pulled his head away slightly, cupping Amy's face and gave her a sad smile. Time seemed to have slowed down and their surroundings became inaudible. Both pink and blue were now hyper aware of each other and only each other. _This was their last moments together..._

"Sonic...thank you for everything...and I'm sorry I couldn't save Tails and Knuckles!" She wept beautifully and leaned her forehead against his. She opened her mouth again to speak but all that came out was a guttural sound from both of their throats and blood spurting from their lips to each others face. Reluctantly, they simultaneously looked to their torsos and saw a familiar red arm barbed through Amy's back all the way through Sonic's torso like a skewer. The duo then looked to their side to see Zavok with an insane sneer only for him to plunge his arm out and grab both hedgehogs by their arms as they fell closer and closer to their deaths.

**"It all ends now hero!"**

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~(x)~

"AMY! AMYYYYY! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO YOU FUCKS! AT LEAST LET ME SAVE HER!" Sonic wrestled in Zavok's grip as he was dragged from the infirmary room to a newly upgraded cell. He bit, kicked, punched, did everything but his body was so weak that it was like dragging a child away who was throwing a tantrum. The red zeti grunted at every attack he felt but his will didn't waver until he threw the hedgehog into the cage, immediately closing it before the boy even attempted to escape.

"Please! LET ME SEE HER! PLEASE! LET HER LIVE!" Sonic repeatedly rattled the cage, banging his fists against them despite the injuries. "KNUCKLES! TAILS! AMY! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

Infinite stared at the broken hedgehog from afar, his mask on but his ears begged to stay drooped from the amount of ruckus their hostage was making. He glided to the begging boy, however he made a mistake of getting too close and keeping is guard low. All of a sudden, Sonic's hand shot to Infinite's throat in a choking hold. The jackal clawed at his neck, trying to pry his fingers loose but then lost all confidence which was promptly replaced with fear.

Sonic's fur was no longer the luminous sheen of blue; a plague of navy took over his body at once and wisps of negative chaos energy emerged from his body. His eyes shifted to a dark shade of green, almost blending in with the sclera. His frown was sewn to his muzzle which lost its tan complexion and morphed to a sheet of white. Sonic has transformed into a dark entity and for sure, Infinite thought he was going to die by his hands.

"Where...are...my...FRIENDS?" Sonic hissed out. His voice had a sharp edge to it, one that you'd be stupid to disobey. His friendliness, his cockiness, everything was gone leaving an empty shell of a demonic being.  
 _  
'Is this...the power of chaos...? I...I can't breathe...'_ Infinite was seconds away from passing away but before he closed his eyes, Sonic hastily let him go and the overwhelming power of chaos dissipated in the air. Weakly, Infinite crumbled to floor, gasping for air and then noticed a large shadow looming over them both. He turned over and recognised the egg shaped doctor, flashing a scowl to his guinea pig. Sonic physically flinched and took a couple of steps away from the bars, holding his injured hand without a moment to spare. Although he was glaring back with distaste, fear was seeping out of his pores.

 _'...He did it...he broke Sonic The Hedgehog...'_ The jackal thought with wonder and gained so much more respect for the doctor. _'I only added fuel to the fire...if Eggman can break Sonic...I can break Shadow.'_ Infinite's thoughts went off tangent and fantasised on how he was going to make Sonic's dark counterpart suffer in numerous ways.

**"You better behave you wretched rat, or else your friends will pay the price."**

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~(x)~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops- forgot to update lmao


	7. Week Seven - Compensation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every comment gives me life~! Tell me what you think!

**~(x)~**

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He didn't fight back against Metal's excruciatingly agonising grip; the automation's talons pierced through the helpless hedgehog's arms as he dragged him towards a familiar destination. His shoes which were once shiny and vibrant were now tattered and scuffled as they scraped against the gritty floor. His quills and fur were tacky and the vivid blue sheen was stained in a darker hue, an aftermath that lingered from the dark transformation that almost took place last week. Infinite trailed the pair behind them, albeit apprehensively. He was still shaken up from the incident that occured back then yet it had haunted his dreams even to this point.

Every time he closed his eyes, he'd see the glowing, void of pupils eyes and wisps of dark energy radiating from a demonic entity shaped as the renowned hedgehog. The formidable power would always overwhelm the Jackal to the point where he wakes up screaming, clutching his chest by instinct and gasping for air. With no options left, the villain swallowed down his pride and confided with the doctor about Sonic's close transformation, leaving out any indication of his trauma nor nightmares. The last thing Infinite wanted was to be seen as weak.

_"As I mentioned before, Sonic has utilised the chaos emeralds in the past. Seven precious stones that holds power beyond even those petty Gods. The blue brat has often used them to his advantage when fighting against me, the gems only grants power to those who have a pure heart and lo and behold, goody two shoes goes super, granting him the power to travel faster than the speed of light and herculean strength. However, unlike Shadow, Sonic isn't engineered to handle all the elements in the power of chaos. Sonic only uses the positive power and his body stores the negative power. What you saw back there was the effect that the residue of the negative chaos energy does to a person. They become monsters, no matter how good their heart or intentions are. This is why I haven't touched the emeralds at all for my master plan let alone embed their power into you. If you want to maintain your humanity, **stay away from the emeralds**."_

Internally, Infinite clicked his tongue in annoyance. The obese self-proclaimed genius strutted off to his lab without giving the jackal a chance to say a word!  
 _'The very least you can fucking do is gather the emeralds and store them somewhere where the resistance can't find them! Chaos! I might as well take over the war and kill you alongside with everyone else if you're this stupid!'_ Suddenly, Infinite stood to a halt and the cogs in his head began to turn. His claws tapped on the side of his mask as a devious smile stretched onto his muzzle.

"I always did wonder what would happen if I cracked the Eggman open..." The boy muttered to himself with glee. _'But not yet. I need to get stronger first, maybe I should start collecting the emeralds too whilst the doctor is busy. Then...I'll obliterate him...'_

Before he knew it, they were all in the computer room. Eggman's looming figure towered over Sonic's puny, shackled form. Metal added to the hedgehog's misery by pushing him to the ground, only for the doctor to press a foot against the teen's skull. Sonic let out a weak groan but then snapped out of his vulnerable phase and flashed an icy glare to the doctor.

 _'Remarkable. The prickly mutant is starting to build back his courage despite what we've thrown at him so far. He's no longer flinching before me. Well, that's all about to change anyways.'_ Eggman mused to himself before gesturing Metal to pick Sonic back up on his feet again and then toss him onto a nearby chair. The azure teen swallowed down his yelps of pain and silently carried on glaring at the three bastards before him. He endured the tedious cuffs around his wrists and ankles biting into his flesh and leaned back, showing them some attitude.

"What do you want now Eggface?" Sonic's face was unreadable despite his worn out appearance. For a second, Infinite wondered if Sonic was going to transform into that dark being again but quickly brushed off that fear and stood stoically. Metal didn't make a move.

"How's your _hand_ boy?" Eggman sneered, relishing the nervous twitch that Sonic's ears let out and the way his lips almost faltered in memory of the pain he endured. A heavy silence enveloped them all which indicated Eggman to get a move on. "Metal, play the live footage of the current battle at Sunset Heights."

Instantly, a cinema sized screen flickered on before Sonic's very eyes and the boy leapt to his feet in disbelief, miraculously maintaining his balance.

"Amy! Knuckles!" He hollered out.

Indeed, his cherished companions were more than alive and breathing, currently occupied with fighting Eggman's robotic henchmen, putting in all the effort they could muster. Despite there being no audio, Sonic was able to piece together what was going on. Amy was shouting orders to a group of soldiers, firing away their wispons at the robots with the help of the sakura female ploughing down the enemies with her deadly hammer and speed with the addition of Knuckles smashing them into pieces and gliding to the robots in the air. Despite the war zone, despite Knuckles being covered in bruises from head to foot, despite Amy being tattered with cuts all over her body, for the first time, hope and happiness filled Sonic's being to the brim and he felt like he was going to explode from the giddiness.

Suddenly, a couple more screens flashed on, side by side on the walls around the four beings in the room. Each of them portraying the same fight but at different angles. Sonic's happiness seeped out of his pores like a deflating balloon and was promptly replaced with a gut wrenching feeling. _'Why is Eggman showing me this...? What is he up to?'_ Sonic clenched his teeth with grimace and his paranoia only increased by the size of Eggman's Cheshire grin.

"Surrounding your annoying friends are my hidden yet well trained snipers. If I ordered them to, they will all simultaneously shoot a bullet through everyone's heads on the battlefield, including Amy and Knuckles." The slimy grin that the evil genius wore could have sent shivers down an ordinary person's but in Sonic's case? Had he been maintained to a healthy condition, the blue brute would have snapped the doctor's neck off with no hesitation.

"You know you're digging your own grave." Sonic snarled out darkly. His pupils were sharpened like a predator's and his green eyes almost looked like an acidic yellow under the lighting. His demeanour was calm, _too calm._ Infinite kept his hands behind his back, trying to push his nervousness out because he was absolutely scared shitless right now.

"Lay one finger on me and by default my minions will shoot so either way, is killing me worth the lives of your precious girlfriend and that dimwitted meathead?" Eggman leaned forward so that he was almost eye level with the outraged hedgehog. Sucking his teeth in, Sonic shook his head in revolt and leaned back. He glanced at his friends' fighting forms and then glanced back at his nemesis.

"What's the catch Eggfuck?" The blue teen got straight to the point and scowled. Much to his dismay, the evil genius belted out his iconic laughter and then whizzed to a computer nearby.  
"I want to play a game~! Just a simple game," With that said, he pressed a significant button.

A circle was suddenly engraved on the floor before Sonic, spinning clockwise once, then anticlockwise and then a large tube rose out of the shape. Sonic gawked as he witnessed two anthros, just like him, trapped inside the cylinder and clinging to one another with terror plastered on their faces. _'Hostages!'_ Sonic's mind screamed whilst his body instinctively tried to get out of its binds to help the poor souls. Realising that it's futile, Sonic stared at the innocent people with regret all over his face while they huddled together. They looked to be around twenty-five, probably married.

The glass in the cylinder fizzed and then disappeared, taunting the victims to escape but one look at Metal and Infinite caused the duo to sink to the floor on their knees and pray for safety.

"Who do you think should live? Your friends or these two worthless pests?" Eggman's words was like a knife slicing through Sonic's heart. The boy snapped a horrified stare at the rotund doctor, shaking his head.  
"What the fuck are you talking about!? These two have done nothing wrong, nothing to you! Let them go immediately!"  
"So you're saying that I should shoot Amy and Knuckles?" Sonic's heart almost burst.

"I NEVER SAID THAT!" Sonic screamed only to hear his pants later on. His body was at its limit and he had little to no energy left. The doctor tutted like a parent scolding a child.

"Don't be so selfish Sonic. You can't have everything you want. You can't save everyone. Otherwise the grim reaper will get a little angry at the lack of souls to deliver to the afterlife."  
"This isn't a game Eggman! You have me! I'm what you wanted so leave everyone else alone!" For a moment, Sonic thought that the evil human was actually reconsidering only for him to shake his head.

"Either you choose a pair that lives or they all die. Shadow is stationed a few feet away from Amy, hidden so that he can attack in case the snipers miss. You know how brutal your dark twin can be...right? Amy and Knuckles don't stand a chance against the ultimate life form..." Sonic lowered his ears and tears dared to prick his eyes once more. His pleadingly glanced at the hostages only to see that Metal was holding them down. There was literally no way out of this! "You have ten seconds to choose, hedgehog." Sonic's eyes widened in alarm as the merciless doctor began to count down.

"Ten..."

_'What do I do? What do I do!?'_

"...nine,"  
 _  
'Think Sonic think! There must be a way to save them all!'_

"...eight,"  
 _  
'I can't get out of these fucking binds! Even a mere ant can take me on!'_

"...seven,"

_'WEAK SPOTS!? ANY WEAK SPOTS AT ALL!?'_

"...five,"

_'SHIT! SHIT! I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME!'_

"...four,"

_'I DON'T WANT TO BE THE CAUSE OF ANYONE'S DEATH! NOT AGAIN!'_

"...three,"

_'Please...Chaos...God...Gaia...anybody...SOMEBODY!'_

"...two,"

_'SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!'_

"...one,"

_'FUCK!'_

"Time's-"

**_"SPARE AMY AND KNUCKLES! SPARE THEM PLEASE!"_ **

Silence filled the room after Sonic's outburst. Said hedgehog didn't dare to look at the hostages because without even seeing, he knew that betrayal and shock were now tattooed on their faces. Both Sonic and the hostages didn't dare to breath and the flashing lights from the projected fight reflecting on their fur indicated the inner turmoil stirring within their bodies.

"Congratulations Sonic, you've sent them to their deaths. Metal, dig in." In a flash, before Sonic could utter a syllable, Metal sliced through the hostages heads with his deadly claws, immediately killing them on contact, painting the room in a disgusting shade of red. All that Sonic could do was gape at the scene, wide eyed whilst blood coated his body as his doppelganger carried on slicing through the corpses, similar to a butcher hacking through meat.

There was an element of stillness in the room.

Eggman remained poker faced. Infinite's lips curving into a sleek smile under his mask. Metal's blue shine almost replaced by the thick red liquid. Sonic's face was devoid of any colour. He just let two people die before his very eyes and he couldn't even save them. He...the universally known hero...couldn't even save two mere lives that were only centimetres away from his reach...?

"I'm still a bit bored so..." Sonic was suddenly brought back to life by Eggman's voice and he whipped his head towards the doctor's direction purely to see the man snap his finger and the audio of the battlefield to switch on magically.

**BANG!**

A gasp escaped Sonic's throat as he witnessed Knuckles collapsing to the ground, gripping his abdomen with pain written all over his face. One of the snipers must have shot him!

"YOU CHEATING LYING BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU-" The rest of Sonic's threats were cut off by Infinite knocking him out in a single punch to the head. The snickering doctor beckoned Infinite to take Sonic back to his cell and for his cleaner robots to mop up the blood and the carcasses in the room. Twirling his moustache with his fingers, Eggman stalked out of the room with an accomplished smile, showcasing his teeth and having a little joyous skip to his movements.

"Hohohoho! Now that's what I call... ** _entertainment_**..."

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**~(x)~**


	8. Week Eight - Disposition

**~(x)~**

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**"Blue rat, open your eyes!"**

Sonic's eyes snapped open with horror ebbing at his poor heart as soon as the jackal's words rippled through his mind. Instead of greeting the usual grim cell and the bite of the cold atmosphere on his injured body, the cyan teen was introduced to something new. Similar to his first week experience when he was abducted, he was surrounded by burning towers in a destroyed city. The floor was dry and caked with debris, dust and if the blue hedgehog squinted, _congealed blood_.

The teen pried his eyes away from the bloody mess, knowing that if he followed the trail, what he sees next would be something far from pretty. Sonic focused on the matter on hand. He seemed to be floating, soaring weightlessly like a bird and lighter than a feather. His eyes then caught the familiar black gloves with claws stretching out from the fingertips, attached to what he thought was his pair of limbs. He couldn't control his body, he couldn't move. This only meant one thing.

 _'That's right kid, what you're seeing right now is not a typical nightmare, but what I'm seeing now. I've linked our minds together so that you can get the perfect view of my beautiful masterpiece!'_ Infinite chuckled, gesturing his arms out to the red stained wonderland that both he and Eggman created. Internally, Sonic clenched his fists and if he was able to, he would've sharply turned his head away from the gruesome visual of the fallen city, tattered with lifeless bodies and fallen comrades that unsuccessfully fought for freedom. Every time he shut his eyes or blinked, the visuals were still there, as if the image itself can seep through his eyelids.

Infinite lowered himself down to the ground and began to casually walk through the disaster. Taking his mask off, he started to whistle an unfamiliar tune, a native melody, the mask held in the pits of one of his arms like a football. The brute took pleasure in knowing that his hostage wouldn't even be able to get a glimpse of his _lovely_ face. Anger coursed through Sonic's veins but he knew better, _way_ better than to lash out. Clearly the jackal has brought Sonic here (through mind at least) to wind him up. Hence, he remained silent.

"Ah! Over there, you see that green cat? The one with half her body busted and smashed to pieces?" Dejectedly for Sonic, he saw the horrific sight that the jackal childishly pointed out, almost spilling out the bile that built up in his stomach. "Yeah she was pretty fun to battle. Managed to survive three blows from me, only to get squashed by Robotnik's mechas. It was lovely. Seeing all her organs bursting out of that pathetic body like a balloon." Immediately, Sonic attempted to block him out, finding a way to disable the link. His body was most likely dumped in the cell at the place where he's been held captive.

 _'Doesn't the power of will usually break people out of this bull-'_ Sonic grimaced but then his thoughts were cut short by Infinite's mock chastising.  
"Watch your language hedgehog, everything you say or think will be heard by me, remember?" A slippery smile was plastered on the older male's face whilst relishing the sudden burst of anger rippling within Sonic's being. "And everything you feel will be passed down to me too," Infinite added, internally cackling at the abrupt feeling of embarrassment and shock that passed through the hedgehog's body for a split second.

"Now where was I, oh that's right! Where's that brown bear I decapitated- hold on..." Infinite suddenly plastered his mask back on his face at a speed that could rival Sonic's and for a second there, said hedgehog felt a rush of adrenaline and fear phase through his veins; feelings that didn't belong to _him_. His attention to those fleeting emotions were swept away as Sonic noticed who exactly Infinite found.

"Amy!?" Sonic yelled but his sudden cry was a mere echo in the enemy's mind.

The sakura girl was passed out under a shattered window, probably from the fallen skyscraper a few metres away from her body. Many emotions stabbed through Infinite's heart, courtesy on Sonic. Terror, relief, hope, concern, anxiety, fear and last but not least _love_.

"Your significant other I assume?" Infinite grinned at the sound of utter disbelief Sonic coughed out only to be plagued by the dread the blue hedgehog was feeling. Lowering his mask back on the ground, Infinite zipped towards the damage and bent his knees down so that he could get a better look at the girl. "She's got some serious power, still breathing under all that pressure and bleeding more than those manky corpses."

"You stay the FUCK away from her if you know what's good for you!" Sonic admonished, his soul getting heavier and heavier. The flashbacks of helplessness burned through the boy's memories as he watched his good friend get shot despite the expense of two innocent people's lives.

"But that's no fun is it?" Effortlessly, Infinite flicked his wrist, causing all the debris and rubble on top of Amy to hover upwards, only to be shot away, leaving the girl bare. A trickle of pain resounded in the jackal's chest but he only brushed it off, thinking of it as Sonic's heart breaking at the pitiful sight of the girl.

"I'm warning you...step... _away_...from her." Sonic's uncharacteristic dip in volume and pitch in his threat didn't even phase his opponent. He was being treated as a mere child throwing a tantrum. Infinite lifted the girl into his arms, raising a brow at how small, thin and crazily soft she was.  
"This...this girl managed to take down those robots with that huge hammer of hers? But she looks so weak!" The villain spat out in disbelief, sitting on his legs with the girl on his lap. If an outsider saw this gesture, they'd have mistaken them as a parent and child. However, Sonic very well knew that _that_ was not the case.

"What are you doing!? Leave her alone!" The boy's wrath was like a fuel for Infinite's dastard actions, causing his clawed, elongated fingers to graze Amy's throat. One ounce of pressure, one scratch on her pulse and she's a dead. The pain in his heart however began to accumulate and Infinite furrowed his brows.

"How about you calm down Blue? Your crybabyness is kinda pissing me off. Say one more word and I'll kill her." Much to Infinite's dismay, the pain in his chest only aggravated and the jackal had no choice but to tune out Sonic's threats and violent words.

 _'Was I this hormonal when I was his age?'_ Infinite joked to himself and straightaway got back to the girl. She was still unconscious and her skin was getting more pale by the minute. Warm blood still oozed out of her wounds, painting the jackal's fur to a darker shade of black. She really was dying.

"Please! Let her go! At least take her to the nearest camp or whatever so that she can live!" Infinite's ears twitched with surprise at how quickly the hedgehog succumbed to begging. The pain in his chest only got heavier and heavier to the point where it had the antagonist gasping for air.

Only the weak feels pain.

Does that mean...

Infinite is weak?

The hasty thought brought out a fresh wave of frenzy through the jackal's mind and without realising, his claws dug into the half dead girl's waist like a needle stabbing a sponge. This in turn caused the girl to cough out blood in her unconscious state and her body to shake from the pain coiling throughout her frame. With a gasp, Infinite dropped the girl and clenched his chest as a sickening, agonising ache spread throughout his body like a plague.

"You bastard you bastard you bastard..." The deadly hedgehog muttered like he was chanting a mantra, his eyes clouding with white as Amy's almost lifeless body haunted his mind.

For a daunting second, everything was still. Quiet. Unnaturally so.

**"Ha...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**

Pain.

Dark.

Pain.

Black.

Bang.

Black.

Pain.

Amy.

Amy!

Ames!

_**"AMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"** _

Infinite couldn't stop screaming and the scorching pain within him was like a bomb detonating inside him. He couldn't tell whether it was his pain or Sonic's pain! The feeling itself was so dark, so powerful yet his body couldn't withstand it.

"The link! I need to stop the link!" The jackal gasped out, clawing at the ground whilst his knees dug into the thick puddle of blood seeping out of the girl's body. It was easier said than done though. It was near impossible trying to concentrate on the power of the phantom ruby while whatever power Sonic was bestowing right now through the link. As mentioned before, it was only _near_ impossible.

With one more final yell, Infinite snapped the link off. His mind showing a faint glimpse of his treacherous hands tearing off the cuffs around Sonic's neck and thus relief flooded his systems.

For the next few minutes, Infinite stayed in the same crouched position, hands on his head and the loud silence of the war zone. His golden and sapphire orbs gazed at Amy Rose, who seemed to look like she was in an enchanted sleep. Her chest inflating and deflating at a sickening slow pace. _'Lucky bitch is still alive. She'll probably last for another hour or so...'_ He growled to himself with a pisspoor attitude. Had it not been for whatever Sonic just did now, Amy would have been nothing but a carcass. Another tragedy for the resistance that dared to oppose the great Eggman empire.

**"Bzzzzz!"**

"Infinite! Can you hear me!? INFINITE!" Eggman's voice pierced through the momentary tranquil peace that Infinite fought to gain. The jackal pulled a device from his matted, white hair and pressed a button.

"Yeah what is it-"  
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"

A wedge of fright was stuck in the brute's throat due to Eggman's authoritative tone. It was like being scolded by an abusive parent.

"Wha-what?"  
"GET OVER HERE NOW THIS INSTANCE!" The communicator was cut off and Infinite wasted no time in obeying. His pride obliterated and the girl he spared was now left on her own with the luck of gaia.

~(x)~

Shock was an understatement. The word did no justice to the perception that clawed within Infinite's frame and the sight before him was far too overwhelming for the jackal to soak in.

A good quarter of Egg Gate was cleanly abolished. As if some giant sword hacked off the immense machinery like a piece of fruit. Infinite deduced that a terrifyingly powerful blast was the cause of it. Meanwhile, the moon which held the prison that clutched Sonic as hostage was now covered in numerous more craters. It was a miracle that it hasn't shaken the moon off its orbit. As for the prison itself, the facility was almost completely destroyed, leaving behind a mile's worth of a section containing the frightened innocent hostages.

What on earth happened?

As if reading his mind, Eggman contacted Infinite via the communicator, ordering him to get to the main lab which luckily survived the mini apocalypse. When the male arrived, he was face to face to the grim looking doctor. The petty fear that has sewn itself into his stomach began to rise up again.

"Doctor...what happened?" Bravely, Infinite was the one to break the tension. His boss took a deep breath and sank into one of his many chairs, using two fingers to rub between his eyes.

"The negative chaos energy that was stored within Sonic's body took over and he turned into an angry Super Sonic!" Eggman barked out. "Only this time, he had no mercy, no limits, he was like a deranged animal. Screaming that wretched pink hedgehog's name over and over again and almost killed me!" He then shot his head towards the guilty looking jackal and clenched his teeth with pure white fury.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

"It was an accident!" Infinite growled back in defence, hating how he was being cornered like a child. "I didn't mean to hurt that Rose girl! I was only taunting that blue rat, that's all!" The fear within him was instantaneously replaced with exasperation and impatience. He then swiped his head away and paced, clenching his fists. "You're the one who told me to test out the mind link with him and show Sonic what we've achieved so far in his absence! You didn't tell me that I'd be in pain if he gets triggered!" Proud to have a countermeasure in the argument, the jackal crossed his arms and faced the evil genius.

"That's not the point you dimwit. If you recall from all the hallucinations and visions you gave him, that girl is the key to his downfall, his greatest weakness along with the two tailed freak! I ordered you to stay away from them both until we've completely stripped away his will."

"I didn't approach her on purpose! She was just there half dead and bleeding-"

"-Yet you couldn't push back your childish antics and tried to toy with Sonic. Right?" The silence that ricocheted against the walls was more than a confirmation for Eggman. The mad doctor stood up with his hands behind his back and walked towards the window, his miserable expression was more than an indication of his displeasure to the whole situation.

"That "trigger" has reawakened his will and that power that he possesses was enough to destroy on a planetary level." Infinite's breath hitched in his throat at Eggman's words.  
"Which means...?"  
"He could have eradicated a portion of the solar system had he detonated. Or worse, become a deadly plague that would have consumed everything he touched in his melancholy."

The fact that the usually cocky, foul mouthed, witty and cheery hedgehog was capable of such a gruesome outcome was enough to plant trunks and branches of terror within Infinite. _'Is he a fucking boy or a spawn of Satan!?'_ The mongrel unconsciously clenched a fist against his chest, feeling his heart trying to burst out of his chest.

"Do not be afraid my boy-"

"First off, I'm not afraid!" Infinite might as well said that he's a cat. "Second, how the...how even...why'd he stop? Where's he now? And that pain I felt? Was that negative chaos?"

"Calm down you little carpet rug rodent I'm getting to that! Jeez, the moment I show some concern, you act like a hormonal teenage brat!" Infinite chose to ignore Eggman's remark. "Because of how we drained his energy by beating him, breaking his mind and body for the past...about two months? His body was weak hence he passed out before he could fully utilise the power that was dormant within him. Right now as we speak, my backup eggbots in the medical department are nursing to his wounds...he almost died after delivering that blast to the Egg Gate."

"You weren't able to withstand an inkling of that energy within you, am I correct? This in turn concludes why you should stay away from the chaos emeralds. As powerful as they are, your corrupted heart is no match for them and if you dared to utilise their powers, they'll in turn corrupt you and tear you apart from inside out."

Internally, the childish side of the jackal didn't want to accept this. He wanted to get all the power he can grasp. It can't be that hard, there must be other ways to utilise it, right? His more, rational side, welcomed the new information, telling his younger side to silence himself and use his brain to think of a way to improve his plan. His plan in collecting the emeralds but hiding them till he figured out what to do.

"Stay away from Amy Rose, Miles Prower, Knuckles and also if you see a chaos emerald by chance, I want you to bring it to me." For a second, the mutt thought Eggman read his mind but that soon changed to a grimace as the doctor stared blankly at a computer, showing the latest footage of the battles between the resistance and his mechs.

"Understood. And...what about Sonic? What is going to happen to him next?"  
"Hm? Well, for now we just gotta wait till he wakes up. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in a coma!"  
"And then? When he wakes up? Won't he use that dark power again if we end up triggering him?" Infinite's question was met with a wry smile from the doctor.

"He can't consciously use that power unless he's on a suicide mission. As for triggering him, for now, leave the torture to me. I'm going to have to break down that will of his once more..." A shiver ran down the jackal's spine as the human began to cackle his notorious laugh. The comedic tones were replaced with something far more sinister and manic. For the first time, ever, Infinite felt sorry for his blue opponent.

~(x)~

Amy might as well have the word "luck" branded on her head because just in time, a troop from the resistance found her dying body and instantly took action. They brought her to medical aid at a speed that could rival a certain hedgehog. They were all already shaken up by the gunshot wound Knuckles suffered last week but it was nothing compared to the horrendous state Amy was in when they found her. The leader of the troop, a red wolf with large glasses and knack for tools stood up with delight as soon as they received word that Amy was now safe and that she's made it through the surgery. She was guaranteed to fight for another day.

"We did it Gadget! We did it!" The wolf's effervescent teammate jumped up and down and cried with joy. Gadget almost shed a tear himself and his golden eyes sparkled.  
"Gaia seems to be on our side lately. We've not only saved our commander but our lieutenant too!" He sniffed out, a pure softhearted boy inside.

"True, however don't you think it's strange? Miss Rose's whole team was wiped out without mercy and everything in that area was destroyed. Mr Silver even described it that it's similar to Crisis City," The other teammate murmured out.  
"What are you getting at...?" Gadget asked.  
"Why did Infinite spare her? He left his mask there too. Do you think...he's up to something?"

A thick hood of gloom was now present in the infirmary waiting room in the underground medical aid. The team shivered at the mere mention of the horrific enemy and now that there's a chance that Amy might be used as a pawn for his bigger plans only made things worse.

A sudden burst of courage ran through Gadget's frame and he stood up with his wispon in hand.

"Then we'll fight, like we always have. If we could save Miss Rose and Mr Knuckles, then we can save Mr Sonic too!" The confidence was contagious and before they knew it, the rest of the team stood up and held their wispons in the air with a cheer.

**.**

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**~(x)~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P  
> L   
> E  
> A  
> S  
> E
> 
> R  
> E  
> V  
> I  
> E  
> W


	9. Week Nine - Denunciation

**~(x)~**

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_"No...you're lying..."_

_"Your bloodstained gloves says otherwise, **hedgehog**."_

_"Don't bullshit me-"_

_"Look at them."_

_"Stop it-"_

_"Look. At. Them."_

With the little strength and energy he had, Sonic lifted his hands to his vision with great effort. Consequently, he recoiled backwards on the hospital bed and stared at his hands in horror. The tattered cotton material was blanched in a revolting stain of red. The blood was thick in some areas, congealed in some places and the iron stench made bile rise in the teen's throat. All colour escaped his muzzle making him as white as a porcelain puppet. His rich cobalt fur was even lightened to a dusty blue.

"That's right Sonic. It's true. You killed all the hostages in blind rage last week. You couldn't tell the difference between friend or foe. Thousands upon thousands were slaughtered mercilessly by your own hands." Infinite stalked around the bed. His voice under the mask was sinister yet mocking the boy's pitiful state. "All because of a little girl. They paid the price with their lives. You think I'm the monstrous one? The antagonist? If you ask me, you're the real monster around here. Not even Eggman or I would dare to wipe people out like that."

Sonic shuddered violently. Tears streamed down his lifeless eyes and his hands trembled.

"L-L-Liar...if I did it...I would have remembered..." Sonic's last bit of restraint was slapped away, literally. Infinite's palm met his opponent's cheek in a painful smack, ripping away what's left of his rebelliousness.

"You want proof!?" The jackal roared, dragging Sonic out of his slumped state by the shoulders like a doll and pulled him onto the floor with no mercy. "I'll show you proof! You disgusting, useless rat!" With a flick of his wrist, a projector image dithered into appearance before the two anthros.

The tears never stopped falling from Sonic's face. He wasn't crying for himself, oh no. He was crying for the dead corpses in his perception. Men, women, children, all species, all sizes, were all mutilated into pieces. Torn up hands frozen in a reaching position. Shredded legs tattered the floor. Decapitated heads, all stuck with expressions of terror and excruciating pain.

Sonic didn't just fail them.

He killed them.

All because he was _angry_.

Every single one of these people died just because he couldn't _control_ his emotions.

"This is why heroes should never, ever fall in love. It becomes their weakness. It ends up turning them into the very demon they claim to fight. You should have let me have my way with the pink girl. All those people would have survived had it not been for your weak heart." Every word was like poison to Sonic's being as Infinite hissed them into his ears. His body twitched, his eyes flickered, his shoulder blades quaked. "I never even planned in killing her. These people died for nought."

"Stop...please..."

"You're a murderer."

"Please..."

"You're sick."

"Stop..."

"You should have died along with them."

**"JUST KILL ME NOW!"**

The defeated hedgehog roared out, sobbing onto the floor like a child. His crimson stained hands clutched Infinite's shoes as he repeated his words over and over again. Behind his mask, Infinite let out a manic grin. They did it. They finally did it.

They killed Sonic The Hedgehog.

All that's left now is a sobbing shell of a hedgehog, deranged with guilt and burdened with a thirst for death...

~(x)~

_**Buzz.** _

"Yes Doctor?" Infinite answered his communicator without a beat. He leaned against the wall, neighbour to the jailed hedgehog. He twirled the mask on one finger and his shit eating grin never left his face.

"How is he?" The genius asked.  
"Right now, he's curled up into that hedgehog ball, refusing to come out and shivering like we stuck him in some freezer." As to emphasise his point, Sonic let out a broken sob, widening the jackal's and the human's malicious smirk.  
"I see the plan has worked then," Eggman let out his boisterous iconic laugh and then instructed Infinite to move to another room to avoid Sonic from potentially eavesdropping on them. Though, with his current state, Sonic was most likely lost to the world.

"I have to say doctor, ever since your new plan, I've gained much more respect for you." Infinite chuckled, leisurely lounging on a plush sofa in a deluxe room that he's been staying in ever since he joined the empire. "Having me kill all those weak, trash walking clumps of flesh whilst the kid was in a coma? And then telling him that _he_ killed them instead? Ha! Genius! Absolutely genius!"

"Well," Eggman stroked his moustache, clearly pleased with the compliment from the usually tempered canine. "I have an IQ of three-hundred after all."  
"You should have seen the look on his face! Priceless, broken, literally smashed him." Infinite howled with laughter, kicking his legs up in the air. It took him a few seconds to regain his composure, only for a thought to weigh on his mind.

He hasn't laughed like this ever since his squad was wiped out.

"Hey doctor," Eggman straightened up at the lack of enthusiasm in his crony's tone. He let out a hum, beckoning Infinite to continue. "Can Shadow be broken in the same way? Just like with Sonic?" He was met with silence. Tension rose in the atmosphere, driving the jackal impatient.

Finally, Eggman answered.

"No. You can't."

Infinite let out a growl. "As in I physically can't or you won't let me-"  
"Both."  
"Huh!?"

"Shadow has been broken many, many times. Some might say he's still so. However, he always came back from them, only to grow stronger and less merciful to the enemy. The only reason he hasn't killed me already is because I'm a relative to his beloved Maria. My late cousin. Additionally, taking over the world is our number one priority. Revenge can come along later. I don't want anything to go wrong so we're sticking with the plan I set out. Keep yourself occupied by breaking down what's left of Sonic's will."

Eggman's tone was stern yet paternal and it pissed Infinite off to no end. Though, the canine bit down his anger, not wanting to ruin the pleasurable mood he was in from his recent event.

"Doctor, there's nothing left to break-"  
"That blue hedgehog is very persistent! Do not underestimate him, no matter what! Don't forget what we had to sacrifice to get him at this stage Infinite."

The finality in Eggman's tone had the jackal groan internally, for he had suffered a million lectures from the doctor when the _'Dark Sonic'_ incident occurred.

"Very well then. Anything else? Other than making sure Sonic stays half dead?"  
"No, that is all." With that said, Eggman hung up.

Combing his fingers through his hair, Infinite leaned against a large window. His eyes were blind to the constructive work going on outside, the robots trying to fix the damage that Sonic caused in his dark state. His ears were poised and his fangs were clenched. The satisfaction in his body has long since evaporated. He was thirsty for more. He was hungry for more. Infinite needed to bestow more of his power. He won't rest till he gets Shadow in his clutches.

With a silent prayer to his fallen comrades, Infinite clipped on his mask and zoomed out, back to Sonic's planet. Shadow will never know what hit him...

**.**

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**~(x)~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter that I've written since 2018? Hopefully I'll be able to pick up where I left off and complete this story :) All comments and reactions are welcome~


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